The Sun, Vol 61, Issue 3

A N AT I O N A L PA C E M A K E R AWA R D N E W S PA P E R

Volume 61, Issue 3

theswcsun.com

Winter Edition 2017-18

New suit once again roils police

Professors’ killer seeks clemency

A former hourly employee illegally hired by the former police chief to perform law enforcement work has filed a lawsuit against the college and the former CSEA vice president charging wrongful termination and sexual harassment.

Former Southwestern College Police Department hourly employee Bryan Pendleton claims former CSEA VP Silvia Lugo was behind an effort to have him fired by the college. Lugo said Pendleton’s claims have absolutely no merit, but would not discuss details on the advice of her lawyer.

Pendleton and at least three other SWCPD employees were immediately terminated in October 2016 by Interim President Bob Deegan when he learned they had been illegally hired by former Campus Police Chief Michael Cash to perform policing tasks they were not authorized to. Deegan also suspended Cash, who never returned to active duty. Cash was given the choice of resigning or being fired in February, and chose to resign effective Dec. 31. He received 14 months of full pay during his suspension.

Cash had run the police department during five tumultuous years that

One of San Diego County’s most notorious crimes of the 20th century was the murder of three SDSU engineering professors ambushed in the classroom by a deranged student.

Dr. Chen Liang, 32, Dr. Preston Lowery III, 44, and Dr. Constantinos Lyrintzis, 36, were gunned down in 1996 by graduate student Frederick Martin Davidson, a 36-year-old on the verge of being awarded his Master’s degree. Lyrintzis was the husband of Southwestern College Professor of Spanish Deana AlonsoLyrintzis and father of 14-month-old Sofia Lyrintzis.

Davidson was found guilty of murder with special circumstance and, according to prosecutor Paul Pfingst, “a slam dunk” to be executed.

In an act of mercy that stunned the region, the widows of the slain professors approached Pfingst with an offer—they would not pursue the death penalty if Davidson would accept life in prison without parole or appeal. Davidson and his attorney accepted the deal, three consecutive life sentences without parole, one for each murdered professor.

By Paola Gutierrez Assistant News Editor

By Katy Stegall News Editor

please see Clemency pg. A3

please see Police pg. A2

Tim Nader will soon gavel his term on the governing board into adjournment and has called to order a campaign for Superior Court judge.

Nader, 60, a California State Attorney and UC Berkeley law school graduate announced that he is a candidate for Superior Court judge on the June 2018 ballot. His current term on the governing board ends December 2018.

In addition to serving a pair of fouryear terms on the SWC Governing Board, Nader is the former mayor of Chula Vista and a former member of the city council. He was elected to the college board in 2010 along with former SWC President Norma Hernandez in an election that changed the dynamic of the board and the direction of the college.

Nader has ser ved in the State Attorney’s Office for 22 years as a prosecutor, family law attorney and civil law attorney.

“One of the things that set me apart from most traditional candidates is the breadth of legal experience I’ve had,” he said. “But most importantly, I have a background in the community.”

Brian Houston and Evelia Reyes may be the first couple ever married with each standing in a different country. They had three minutes for their borderstraddling wedding made possible by Border Angels.

Story on pg. 16

Hepatitis A spreads to Chula Vista

By Aileen Orozco and Dasha Vovk Staff Writers

Downtown San Diego remains the center of the county’s Hepatitis A outbreak, but Chula Vista city officials and Southwestern College health services professionals said they are working proactively to prevent an epidemic in the South Bay. As of December 1, San Diego County had logged 561 cases of Hepatitis A over a 12-month period, primarily among the burgeoning homeless population in the East Village and the

Black Lives Matter movement is not asking for anything other than respect and fairness.

Newton Avenue area of San Diego. Of those, 378 people were hospitalized and 20 died. Chula Vista has had 17 confirmed Hepatitis A cases over the past year, most among its homeless population in the Third Avenue and Memorial Park area. Southwestern College is within seven miles of the San Diego outbreak area and about three miles of the Chula Vista areas.

College health services employees have not reported any student cases, but college leaders said they are concerned about the Hepatitis A situation in

Chula Vista because thousands of students live, work or take public transportation in the affected areas.

Local doctors are urging SWC students and employees to be vaccinated against the disease.

San Diego’s Hepatitis A outbreak has become national news and a growing concern at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.

A Hepatitis A case in Phoenix was traced to San Diego and CDC officials expressed concern that people in other cities may be infected by people

By Dasha Vovk Staff Writer

Governor Jerry Brown on October 15 vetoed Assembly Bill 568 that would have provided maternity leave for community college instructors and classified employees.

AB 568 was introduced by California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzales-Fletcher was passed by the Assembly 52-11 on Sept. 11.

GonzalesFletcher said female teachers have to use vacation or sick days when taking leave for a p re g n a n c y, childbirth, miscarriage and recover y therefrom.

GONZALEZ AB 568 would require public and charter schools to provide paid leave of absence for women in these situations. Her bill would prevent employment discrimination and alleviate the state’s shortage of teachers, said the assemblywoman.

“Female teachers shouldn’t face extra employment burdens simply please see Governor pg. A3

please see Hepatitis pg. A4

ARTS

CAMPUS

VIEWPOINTS

please see Judge pg. A3

All you need is love

Adjunct bill vetoed by governor

Navy veteran recalls poverty and crime, but also joyfulness of rural areas of the Philippines.

Classic Blood Wedding receives a powerful new production in Mayan Hall.

Talented Latin American players power a promising men’s basketball team.

@THESWCSUN

By Aileen Orozco Assistant Campus Editor

Alexander Contreras/Staff

SPORTS

Tim Nader a candidate for judge

A2

Katy Stegall, editor

NEWS

Dec. 12, 2017 — Vol. 61, Issue 3

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: news@theswcsun.com

Fired employee’s lawsuit again puts focus on campus police

Continued from pg. A1

11,000 10,500 10,000 9,500

uniform, a gun and was given supervisory powers over other SWC officers. Cash hired another former SDPD contemporary, Joseph Bane, under identical circumstances. Though both men were hired as at-will, hourly employees for desk jobs, Cash issued them guns and had them do the work of sworn police officers. Cash also hired former SDPD officer Jorge Sanchez as a sergeant even though his Police Officers Standards and Training (POST) certification had expired and he was not authorized to carry a gun under color of a police badge.

Cash also hired Emalee Pallis and employed her illegally. Pallis, an SWC Police Academy graduate, was hired as a Rape Aggression Defense Systems (RAD) officer, a desk position. Cash, however, issued her a uniform and gun, then put her to work performing the duties of a sworn police officer, even though she had not completed her POST training

and was not qualified to be an armed peace office.

Pendleton and Bane were hourly, at-will employees whose contracts were extended twice by Cash. When campus police officers and classified union representatives presented evidence that they were working outside of their hourly job descriptions, on September 30, 2016 Cash changed Pendleton’s title from sergeant to investigation supervisor.

All were immediately let go October 28, 2016 when Deegan learned that they were hired outside the college employment process and performing police officer work for which they were not qualified nor hired for. As at-will employees they could be let go without cause.

Pendleton blamed his firing on Lugo and claimed it was the result of a romance gone bad.

Pendleton and Lugo both acknowledged going on a lunch date to Miguel’s Cocina Restaurant in

SWCPD spending soars under Cash

$11,000

$10,000

included him firing his gun in police headquarters and narrowly missing three college employees, filing a specious EEO complaint against the faculty adviser of The Sun following coverage of the shooting incident, filing late and inaccurate campus crime reports, mishandling a sexual harassment complaint that allegedly included an attempted rape in police headquarters, failure to provide police escorts for sexual assault victims who had requested protection, overspending his budget by at least $1 million, and illegally hiring and arming former San Diego Police Department friends as campus police officers.

Pendleton was one such hire. Cash brought the retired SDPD sergeant in as an hourly employee on April 15, 2015 to assist with investigations, but soon designated him an SWCPD sergeant even though there had been no position authorized by the governing board. Pendleton was issued a

= spending by Cash

9,000 8,500 8,000 7,500

= spending by other chiefs

50,000 45,000

$ 4,000

$0

$0

2016-17

2017-18

$15,000 2015-16

2011-12

Repairs and Maintenance

2012-13

0

2017-18

2016-17

2015-16

2014-15

$ 5,000

20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000

$0

$122 2013-14

$413 2012-13

$350 2011-12

2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0

$8,000

30,000 25,000

3,000 2,500

2014-15

4,000 3,500

40,000 35,000 $16,000

4,500

2013-14

6,500 5,500 5,000

$45,000

7,000

180,000 170,000 160,000

150,000 140,000 130,000 120,000 110,000 100,000 90,000 80,000 70,000

$77,000

$97,000

90,000 80,000

Classified Overtime, Campus Police

$39,000

$41,000

2016-17

2015-16

2012-13

30,000 20,000 10,000 0

2014-15

40,000

2013-14

$23,000

60,000 50,000

2011-12

2017-18

2016-17

2015-16

2014-15

2013-14

2012-13

$27,000

$ 27,000

70,000

2017-18

$104,000

130,000 120,000 110,000 100,000

$82,000

$93,000

$ 80,000

$ 75,000

150,000 140,000

2011-12

60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0

200,000 190,000

$157,000

190,000 180,000 170,000 160,000

$198,000

Equipment: Parking Services

Hourly Employees, Campus Police

Eastlake during the fall 2015 semester. On Sept.

9, according to the lawsuit, Pendleton received a text from Lugo suggesting their relationship “go no further than being colleagues at work.” He agreed, the court document says.

Later, according to Pendleton, he began to spend time with another SWC employee. In the court documents Pendleton said he learned from a third party that Lugo had seen him kissing the other employee on campus, and that had upset her. Pendleton also claimed that Lugo reported him to former Vice President of Human Resources Trinda Best for harassing her when instead Lugo was harassing him.

“Pendleton, on information and belief, alleges that Lugo as both an SWC employee and Vice President of CSEA falsely accused Pendleton of sexually harassing her (because she believed he had chosen another woman over her) and voiced her position that SWC should terminate Pendleton’s contract,” the suit reads.

L u g o s a i d n o n e o f Pe n d l e t o n’s allegations are true.

Pendleton said his employment contract was rescinded after the October 11, 2016 governing board meeting. Pendleton’s contract was initially renewed until May 15, 2017 along with Bane when both had their titles changed from Sergeant to Professional Experts in Crisis Management and Post Investigation Training. Pendleton said he was made aware of his contract being terminated October 28, 2016 when he was told by Cash.

Cash was placed on administrative leave February 2017. The Sun reported Cash’s resignation in its Sept. 1, 2017 issue.

Pendleton expressed his unwavering support of Cash and unhappiness with The Sun in a comment posted to The Sun’s website, theswcsun.com. He said The Sun was out to get Cash and that removing Cash will not solve the college’s problems.

“Getting rid of Chief Cash does not heal the department or the SWC campus of the growing cancer inside of it,” Pendleton wrote. “He did nothing but attempt to bring a sub-par department up to par.”

SWCPD spending increased dramatically following the hire of Cash on July 1, 2012, according to college records. In three years SWCPD spending increased more than $1 million. It increased another $600,000 from fiscal year 2014-15 to 2015-16. SWCPD Classified Overtime pay tripled to $75,000 in the first year Cash was hired. It continued to skyrocket, hitting $157,000 in 2015-16. Money spent on hourly employees increased from $23,000 in 2013-14 to $198,000 in 2015-16. Other substantial increases were also found on the budget lines Non-Instructional Equipment, Equipment, and Repairs and Maintenance. (see corresponding graphs) Cash has received full pay since being placed on leave in October 2016.

His salary was $116,000 in 2015 and $103,000 in 2016. Human Resources staff would not reveal his 2017 salary.

Announcement of Cash’s leave was followed shortly by a lawsuit filed by former a SWCPD student worker against the college and the police department.

Jane Doe (a pseudonym) accused former employee Kevin McKean, Emergency Management Officer Joseph Martorano and Cpl. Ricardo Suarez with continuous sexual harassment and assault at police headquarters. She also said in her court brief that McKean and Martorano tried to rape her, and that Cash did nothing when she reported it to him.

Doe’s situation was not the only alleged crime that went unreported. Cash had a history of filing incomplete, inaccurate and late crime reports, particularly regarding sexual assaults. Acting Police Chief Dave Nighswonger said the last annual security report filed was audited and had 122 errors. It was produced by Cash.

Cash’s career has been checkered with controversy. He was suspended by the SDPD in 1987 for excessive force and police brutality. Officers who worked with Cash at SDPD said he was about to be fired, but Cash adamantly denied that.

Cash said he retired.

Cash was later fired as a security consultant to the NFL and by the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers fired Cash after a well-publicized episode in which a number of players missed curfew or engaged in activities that violated team rules in a Minneapolis hotel after lights out. The Chargers lost the game later that day.

Pendleton was hired by the SDPD in 1982 and retired as a sergeant on March 22, 2015. He was hired at Southwestern

by Cash on April 15, 2015.

College officials said they have not yet been served with a lawsuit from Pendleton. The first hearing is scheduled for April 20, 2018 in Superior Court.

NEWS

The Southwestern College Sun

Dec. 12, 2017 — Vol. 61, Issue 3

A3

Killer of three SDSU professors petitions for clemency this.”

Recently, to the horror of the widows, SWC Professor of Spanish Esther their family and friends, Davidson went Alonso, Deana’s sister, created a petition back on his word and applied for executive on Change.org asking Brown to deny clemency from California Gov. Jerry clemency to Davidson.

Brown.

“That dreadful day is one nobody in my California law empowers the governor family or Costas’ family will ever forget,” to grant clemency and free Davidson from she said. prison, reduce his sentence or reject the Deana was speaking to the police about application. Brown could not be reached an incident at SDSU when Esther Alonso for comment, but indications are he has heard about the shooting. Esther rushed to not yet seen the application. her sister’s house, she said. Police had told Deana Alonso was remarried in 2005 to Deana what had happened at SDSU and SWC DSS specialist Frank Post. that her husband was dead before Esther Davidson received three consecutive life arrived. Deana was in a state of shock, terms in prison without the possibility of Esther said, and could not comprehend parole as his sentence. what was happening.

Alonso-Post said she cannot express “I wish she had stayed in that state a little the horror she felt when she was told that longer, because as soon as she absorbed the Davidson had petitioned for clemency. enormity of how their lives, their futures, “It shreds my heart to pieces to even their dreams, her heart, and both her and think that this man could walk freely in her daughter’s world had, in one second, our community,” disintegrated she said. “He left and had four children, now t u r n e d adults, without into years of a father, three unbearable widows, several sorrow,” she students in shock said. “Those as they witnessed first days were his premeditated shrouded in a crime and dark fog.” thousands in Deana asked our San Diego -Esther Alonso, everyone not to community in in front of SWC Spanish professor cry pain.”

Sofia because A l o n s o - Po s t she did not said granting want her Davidson clemency would be devastating. daughter to notice that something was “I trust that Governor Jerry Brown wrong. Sofia was 14 months old at the will not give any clemency,” she said. “In time. She adored her doting and loving this case, the killer already had clemency dad. when we did not pursue the death penalty Esther Alonso said that if it not for Sofia in exchange for three consecutive life she does not know how Deana would have sentences without the possibility of parole.” survived.

Alonso-Post said she refuses to allow the “I believe that the strength and selfkiller to hurt her family again. control required to put on hold her “My daughter is now an adult and I devastation to play, feed, change and bathe hate that she has to deal with this,” she her daughter saved her from total despair,” said. “The decision we took 21 years ago she said. was based on the hope our children would Deana was suffering terribly, but she never have to think about or worry about made sure Sofia did not know. Esther Continued from pg. A1

“The love of her life had been assassinated and the black hole this left in her heart would be there for a long time, if not forever.”

Governor: Pregnant adjuncts get little government help Continued from pg. A1

because they’re pregnant. It’s unfair, it’s discriminatory- and it will drive more and more women away from the profession at a time when we can least afford to do so,” she said.

Most California educators can take 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for the birth of a child, the care of a child up to age one, adoption or the start of foster care under the Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In order for teachers for to be paid during maternity leave they have to use their accumulated sick days and paid vacation. Once those days are used up they have a right to take differential pay leave- the difference in wages between an instructor’s salary and the cost of hiring a substitute.

AB 568 would have required school districts, charter schools and community colleges, including Southwestern College, to provide six weeks of fully paid maternity leave for their employees, before they use sick days and differential pay.

Mo r e t h a n 1 , 0 0 0 l e t t e r s w e r e delivered to Brown by The California Federation of Teachers members in support of the bill.

SWC SCEA Adjunct Representative Geoff Johnson’s letter to Governor Jerry Brown, urging him to sign AB 568 and to stand with faculty who wish to start families.

“Women should not be forced to characterized their pregnancy as either a sickness, or as a disability,” wrote Johnson.

A coalition of school districts, charter schools, and community colleges opposing the maternity measure, sent the governor a letter in which they urged him to veto the bill.

“Added expense would compete with the costs of educational programs and student services within finite budgets,” the coalition said.

A bill analysis by The California Department of Finance said that if one percent of school and community college employees took six weeks of leave at full pay, it would cost the state’s schools $43 million to $163 million per year.

Brown, in his veto letter, encouraged d i s t r i c t s t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n St a t e Disability program that provides s h o r t - t e r m Di s a b i l i t y In s u r a n c e (DI) and Paid Family Leave (PFL) wage replacement benefits to eligible workers who need time off work.

“I believe further decisions regarding leave policies for school employees are best resolved through the collective bargaining process at the school level,” he said.

ADVOCATE FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED– Assembly Member Lorena GonzalezFletcher fought for pregnant employee rights, but Governor Jerry Brown vetoed the bill.

LYRINTZIS

LIANG

LOWERY III

Alonso said that when Sofia would go to sleep, Deana would lay in bed crying, holding a poster-sized framed picture of her dead husband. Esther said watching Deana hide her enormous pain from her daughter was the hardest part for her.

Esther was unable to console her sister, she said.

“How could I tell her that everything will be fine when she will never see her husband again?” and she said “The love of her life had been assassinated and the black hole this left in her heart would be there for a long time, if not forever.”

Deana did not have a chance to say goodbye.

The hardest thing for Alonso’s family was that Sofia would grow up without a father.

Every Father’s Day she will have a reminder of a horrible incident.

To sign the Change.org petition asking California Governor Jerry Brown to deny clemency to the killer of Dr. Constantinos Lyrintzis, Dr. Chen Liang and Dr. Preston Lowery III, go to https://www.change.org/p/ jerry-brown-deny-clemency-to-the-killer-ofprofessor-constantinos-lyrintzis.

To send a personal message to Gov. Brown go to https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov39mail/.

Letters to Gov. Brown may be sent to: Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr., State FINAL DAYS– Costa Lyrintzis and his daughter Sofia, who was 14 months old when her Capitol, Suite 1173, Sacramento, CA 95814. father was murdered. Sofia is now 22 and a UC Irvine graduate.

Judge: Tim Nader to run for Superior Court judgeship Continued from pg. A1

A graduate of Hilltop High School, Nader was a Chula Vista Youth Commissioner prior to his election to the city council at age 29. He was elected mayor in 1991 when he was just 33 years old.

Nader said he is proud that the police department was expanded and programs for at-risk-youth were opened during his time as mayor.

In 2001 Nader became a foreign aid volunteer for a private contractor in Turkmenistan. Under this program, American lawyers assist former communist countries transition to democracy.

For six months Nader worked in Turkmenistan’s only law school to help Turkmen law students.

Nader recalled the oppression he witnessed in Turkmenistan where the news media was controlled by the government and citizens had to be careful of expressing their thoughts in front of the secret police.

Thomas Contant/Staff “I certainly gained a deeper appreciation than ever for the freedom BIG ANNOUNCEMENT– SWC Governing Board President Tim Nader announces that we have here in the United States,” his candidacy for Superior Court judge to a crowd of supporters in Chula Vista. Nader was part of the “Southwestern College Revolution” of 2010 that expelled corrupt he said.

He returned to Chula Vista in 2002. leaders and prevented the college from being closed down.

He ran for the Southwestern College everybody, pro get better and do things for the country Governing Board in 2010 when the college was in turmoil by the concensus of the people, not his own opinions,” and threatened with closure. Former superintendent she said.

Raj K. Chopra, vice president of fiscal services Nicholas Campaign volunteer Freda Hernandez said Nader will Alioto, ASO Adviser Arlie Ricasa and other employees need volunteer and fund raising help. and trustees were engaged in large-scale corruption “This is a very tough campaign, it covers the entire related to construction bond money granted to the county of San Diego, so we’re going to need a lot of college by voters. bodies,” she said. Nader agreed.

SWC’s accreditation body was also threatening to “This is going to be an expensive campaign,” he said. close the college due to incompetent management and “We’re thinking we need to raise about $175,000.” “a culture of fear.”

Nader has been endorsed by the mayors of Imperial “There were some disturbing similarities in the regime Beach, National City and Chula Vista, as well as that was in place here and the regime that I experienced prominent lawyers and elected officials. and lived under in Turkmenistan,” he said. “We made Superior Court judges run for a six-year term. To be sure things got cleaned up and the college is on a much eligible for the position, a candidate must have been a more positive track.” practicing attorney in California for at least 10 years.

After Nader, Hernandez and former trustee Nick Nader is running against first-term San Diego County Aguilar forced out several administrators, six current Superior Court Judge Gary Kreep, who has been accused or former Southwestern College employees, the college of racist and sexist remarks to attorneys in the courtroom. architect and two construction contractors were charged He was found guilty of the charges that came after an with nearly150 felonies, including extortion, bribery investigation into his judgeship, but was reprimanded and corruption. All pleaded guilty to lesser charges to instead of removed. avoid prison.

“The functioning of our judiciary is a critically Nader supporter Elizabeth Stillwagon said she believes important part of our democratic system,” said Nader. in him and the work he has done to save Southwestern “If we don’t maintain a politically independent judiciary College. and a competent and fair judiciary, the rest of the system “He’s never changed his focus, he’s always pro is in deep trouble.”

Dec. 12, 2016— Volume 61, Issue 3

VIEWPOINTS

The Southwestern College Sun

A5

Editorials, Opinions and Letters to the Editor

The mission of the Southwestern College Sun is to serve its campuses and their communities by providing information, insights and stimulating discussions of news, activities and topics relevant to our readers. The staff strives to produce a newspaper that is timely, accurate, fair, interesting, visual and accessible to readers. Though the “Sun” is a student publication, staff members ascribe to the ethical and moral guidelines of professional journalists.

ALYSSA PAJARILLO

For honest sex consent is never implied

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Alyssa Pajarillo COPY EDITOR

Brian del Carmen NEWS

Katy Stegall, editor Paola Gutierrez, assistant CAMPUS

Carolina Rubio Ruiz, editor Aileen Orozco, assistant Karen Estrada, assistant VIEWPOINTS

Matthew Reilly, editor Sydni Ingram, assistant Larry Estrada, head cartoonist ARTS

Marty Loftin, editor Jaeneen Chung, assistant SPORTS

Ivana E. Morales, editor Brittany Cruz-Fejeran, assistant ONLINE

Anibal Alcaraz, editor Alejandra Castorena, editor PHOTOGRAPHY

Thomas Constant, editor Victoria Sanchez, editor SENIOR STAFF

Natalie Mosqueda

STAFF WRITERS

Alyson Atencio

Alejandro Morales

Jay Bueno

Juan Morales

Alan Cazares

Alex Nuñez

Yazmin Chavez

Luis Orantes

Justin Dottery

Arianna Pintado

Sara Gonzalez

Paulina Valdez

Kareem Kanaan

Grace Vasquez

Brelio Lozano

Dasha Vovk

PHOTOGRAPHERS

CARTOONISTS

Ailyn Dumas Leon

Dan Cordero

Alexander Contreras

Stephanie Garrido

Maria Joaquin

Michelle Phillips

ADVISOR

Dr. Max Branscomb

AWARDS/HONORS Student Press Law Center National College Press Freedom Award, 2011 National Newspaper Association National College Newspaper of the Year, 2004-17 Associated Collegiate Press National College Newspaper of the Year National Newspaper Pacemaker Award, 2003-06, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012-2017 General Excellence Awards, 2001-17 Best of Show Awards, 2003-17 Columbia University Scholastic Press Association Gold Medal for Journalism Excellence, 2001-16 California Newspaper Publishers Assoc.

California College Newspaper of the Year, 2013, 2016 Student Newspaper General Excellence, 2002-17 San Diego County Multicultural Heritage Award

Society of Professional Journalists National Mark of Excellence, 2001-17 First Amendment Award, 2002, 2005 San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards 1999-2017 Directors Award for Defense of Free Speech, 2012 Journalism Association of Community Colleges Pacesetter Award 2001-17 General Excellence Awards, 2000-17 American Scholastic Press Association Community College Newspaper of the Year San Diego County Fair Media Competition Best of Show 2001-03, 20052017

Consent is key to sex, but some people are still trying to pick the lock.

Most students had a sex education class in middle or high school. While these programs teach anatomy and how bodies mature, most programs do not teach about consent.

Consent is a fundamental part of sex. It is the affirmative, avid and active agreement between people who wish to engage in sexual activity.

While this concept may seem obvious, consent is still a concept that Larry Estrada/staff society is wrestling with.

Consent is not implied. There are no blurred lines. Let’s be clear: The Issue: Our Position: •Consent is not given if the person is under the influence. If a SWC has a rough history with incompetent, SWC needs to hire a talented, modern chief man or a woman cannot even drive megalomaniacal police chiefs. who has integrity and will provide a safe home, they are not able to give environment on campus. consent because their judgment is impaired.

•Consent is not necessarily given even if a person does not object. Not objecting does not mean they agreement. Consent requires expressed verbal agreement •Consent cannot be given if the Dear Southwestern College Campus Police address this problem minus the nauseating PR, fuzzy person is unconscious. Prior consent does not apply if the person has Chief Applicants, rhetoric, goofy committees and false posturing. passed out or is sleeping.

Thank you for applying for the position of Police • Inaccurate and fraudulent crimes record •Consent is not given if the Chief. The successful candidate has a great deal of keeping and reporting: Two years of daily person is giving into pestering or work to do. Bring your high boots and a shovel, checking of campus police crime logs by The Sun bullying. Succumbing to peer presbecause you have an awful mess to clean up. If you demonstrated that they were a joke, but a joke that sure is not consent and can lead to fail, you may be SWC’s last ever police chief. is not at all funny. Cash’s sanitized reports did not prosecution of the perpetrator.

To say our campus police needs to change direction include sexual assaults, even though several members •Consent is not given if the is a serious understatement. This is an organization of this newspaper’s staff reported being sexually person gives a reluctant answer.

“I guess…” or weak “…okay,” that deserves to be shut down and dismantled. Our assaulted or raped to the campus police and the governing board should table any discussion of a new former dean of student services. Other students have responses show that a person may be Security Center because we may not need one. We suffered the same fate. Nighswonger had a steaming reluctant to agree to sexual activity.

If a person hesitates, they may not know the California Commission on Peace Officers hot mess to clean up. A state auditor found 122 be all that willing. Consent should Standards and Training—the governing body for mistakes in Cash’s last round of reports. given with an affirmative and cops—has a rueful eye on the SWCPD. POST could • Invisible campus police: SWCPD needs to join be avid “yes.” shut down our campus police and force the college the 21st century and enact community policing. This There are some things to keep into hiring security guards. Our campus cops barely strategy has had measurable success across America in mind while engaging in sexual escaped the noose in 2010-11 when a former college lowering crime, diminishing violence, and building activity to ensure that your partner is president used the SWCPD as his own private army, trust between law enforcement and citizens. SWC has comfortable and still giving consent. bodyguards and errand boys. Don’t think for a exactly the opposite. Our campus cops are ghosts.

•Pay attention to body language. minute it cannot happen again.

You virtually never see them on campus. It is like we If a partner seems to tense up, shy away from touch, or fall silent Most of us do not want to see that happen. SWC do not even have a police force. They do come out second thoughts may have crept has some outstanding officers. We wish we could at night and on weekends for high school football in. Keep in mind that participants clone our best cop, Adam Cato, and spread him games, commencements and other facilities rental around the entire campus 24/7. Cato embodies activities to direct traffic and provide security. If that should be appear to be enthusiastic about the activities. everything a great police officer should be. He is is how the college intends to employ its officers, it •It is wise to get verbal reassurance tough when he has to be, which is rarely because he should just go ahead and dissolve the campus police from your partner. A simple, “is this likes people and knows how to communicate. He is and hire less-expensive security guards. okay?” or “would it be okay if…?” always professional, polite, caring and a good listener.

Cash’s strategy was to buy a fleet of expensive should suffice. Be sure to get verbal He has time and again diffused potentially bad vehicles that the SWCPD and college could not feedback. It is okay to stop if either situations. afford (see story, page one), then park them unstaffed party express discomfort.

Unfortunately, for the past five years the campus around campus as if they would magically deter •Have a discussion afterwards. police have been led into turmoil by Michael Cash, crime.

Take a few minutes after the activity an incompetent, megalomaniacal man with a violent • Lack of accountability: Our campus police are to discuss what was and what was not enjoyed. It is important to be temper who was a bad cop, a poor leader, a terrible a public agency on a public California community attentive to a partner’s likes and administrator and other alarming things we know college that needs to operate with transparency, dislikes. that we will not include in this space. We are grateful openness and respect. Cash would not speak to the A person may give consent at for Interim Chief Davis Nighswonger—a kind and news media (unless he could grandstand) and would the start of sexual activity, but can competent man—for hosing down the dumpster fire not release public documents. Now we know why. revoke if the situation becomes and providing relative stability for the past year.

There were things he did not want the rest of us uncomfortable. It is important that Here are a few things that must change in the to know. Our next chief needs to remember that people express their discomfort or SWCPD: s/he is the public face of the campus police and must when they are unwillingness to con• Enabling rape culture and sexual assault: respect the First Amendment, state and federal public tinue. While it may be frustrating, The dirty little secret at Southwestern is not much of records law, and journalists who are doing their jobs it is important to be an understanda secret – we have a sexual assault problem. We are to protect democracy. We hope you will tear down ing partner and not badger or make someone feel guilty for revoking heartened by the recent developments in America the blue wall of silence. that have finally shone a hot spotlight on sexual Our hopes and expectations are high as the search consent.

A recent study funded by the misconduct, but we are saddened and sickened that for a new chief begins. It has been five long years Center for Disease Control consome SWC leaders remain so backwards on this of watching an incompetent leader destroy the cluded that 10 percent of high problem. Cash and the former dean of Student trust between the campus police and most of our and college-aged people have Services failed us terribly, and have enabled rapists students. We hope that you will thoroughly research school coerced another person into sexual and sexual bullies to roam free on this campus the college’s history before stepping into the position activity. (including, allegedly, even inside campus police so that you can address the mistakes of the past and The study also finds that the age headquarters). Worse, they have actually empowered avoid making them again. of 16 seems to be when teens are the bad guys by sending the message that nothing most likely to coerce others into dowill happen to them. SWC women have been raped, With respect and best wishes, ing things against their will. mocked and beaten with no consequences. We need The Editorial Board of the Southwestern Teaching consent at an early age and reinforcing it through higher a chief that will roll up his/her sleeves and openly College Sun levels of education is the key to preventing sexual assault and empowerOnline Comments Policy ing individuals to speak up against Letters Policy pressure.

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A4

Katy Stegall, editor

NEWS

Dec. 12, 2017 — Vol. 61, Issue 3

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: news@theswcsun.com

El Cajon council bans giving food to homeless in parks

Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/Staff

By Katy Stegall News Editor

Diego Chapter of Food Not Bombs, said the event was a show of solidarity with the homeless Fears of Hepatitis A spreading to the East community, not charity. Mactavish has worked County have led the El Cajon City Council with Food Not Bombs for seven years, he said, to ban food distribution to the homeless on and called the ordinance an attack on the city property. City officials said the ban was an homeless community. urgent necessity and insisted it was temporary.

“It’s a sad state of affairs we’re in,” he said.

El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells said the ordinance “We’re no different than any other (homeless) will remain in effect until they see a change in person here. Most of us are one paycheck away the Hepatitis A outbreak, which has infected from this reality.” at least 567 people in San Diego County and SWC student Arantxa Calles, 21, agreed. killed at least 20. Most victims are homeless “It’s a transparent attack on people,” Calles men and women who health officials have said. “It’s bullshit. No one should stand for it.” said contracted the disease in areas with Activists volunteering at the event said concentrations of homeless. El Cajon has had they knew they could be arrested. Some even 54 reports of Hepatitis A infestation so far this volunteered to be arrested if authorities arrived year. and pushed back against the afternoon meal.

Wells initially said he was willing to be Charles Eichel, 29, a former SWC student interviewed, but did not return several calls to and member of the Party of Socialism and his cell phone over the course of five days.

Liberation, agreed.

Opponents insisted the ordinance was cruel “The ordinance is not a solution,” he said. and targeted the poorest and most vulnerable “It’s a direct attack. Until this changes, we members of society. will keep serving food and resisting the city “Food sharing event means a non-social by performing a basic act of human decency.” gathering that is planned, organized, promoted El Cajon Police have set up temporary or advertised where food is distributed for trailers in Wells Park following the protests. charitable purposes at no cost,” the ordinance Those residing in the park say it is an act of reads. intimidation and insist the city wants them Local activists fought back. out of the park by any means necessary. Traci Dashiel Mactavish, a volunteer for the San Hatch-Deeks, a homeless resident of Wells Park FOR I WAS HUNGRY AND YOU GAVE ME NOTHING TO EAT– Advocates for the homeless are protesting the El Cajon City Council’s ban on the distribution of food to people camping in Wells Park and other public space. (top, 1) Lee Deeks and his dog, Luna, make plans for the day. (top-r) Traci

nicknamed “The Mayor,” said authorities will ticket them for small inconveniences then file restraining orders or have them arrested. She said she understands the backlash and why the community would fear having homeless people around children, but wishes they were not dehumanized in the process.

“They don’t want us in the park,” she said. “I get that. But just because we’re homeless doesn’t mean we’re brain-dead. We still have a sense of what’s right and what’s wrong.”

Nathan Davies, another Wells Park resident, said sometimes the volunteers bring food, but the police will not allow them to distribute it to the eagerly awaiting homeless.

“To watch volunteers take all of that time to set up food and get ready to serve it and then have the cops come in and make them put it all away, it hurts,” he said. “A warning would have been nice. We have to find different avenues to make sure we actually eat now.”

Hatch-Deeks said portable restrooms located near the temporary police trailer are as unsanitary as the established park bathroom is. Three portable restrooms smell of putrid fecal matter and one is leaking urine. They are cleaned, she said, but not to a sanitary standard.

El Cajon Police Department officials were contacted with a request for an interview, but did not respond.

Hatch-Deeks, the honorary “Mayor of the Park,” shows her amused friends how she scraped her foot in a skateboarding mishap. (above) El Cajon porta-potty leaking urine and fecal material onto a park sidewalk.

City officials proactive as Hepatitis A spreads to Chula Vista

Continued from pg. A1

traveling from San Diego County.

Los Angeles officials are initiating Hepatitis A containment strategies as are other Southern California cities with homeless populations.

SWC has hosted a pair of events this semester that offered screening for Hepatitis A as well as free vaccinations.

of restrooms in city parks, King said.

Emergency Services personnel have placed 15 handwashing stations provided by the County Health Services Department in high risk areas throughout the city, he said, in an effort to slow the spread of the disease.

Improper handwashing after using the restroom is a primary cause of Hepatitis A, he said.

Restaurant employees can also spread the disease if they do not practice proper King said.

-Marlon King hygiene, All Chula Vista Emergency Services r e s t a u r a n t s a n d have been Coordinator for Chula Vista businesses sent educational materials focusing o n He p a t i t i s A , its spread and Campus student services employees are prevention. also reaching out to known homeless “We want to make sure they are students to brief them about the practicing sanitation techniques,” he Hepatitis A situation and to steer them said. “We do not want this to get into toward health services and vaccinations. food because it could then become an (Campus Nurse Grace Cruz was uncontrollable outbreak.” uncooperative and refused multiple Chula Vista’s Homeless Outreach requests for inter views. She told Team (HOT) is working with doctors reporters who visited her office that she and nurses from County Heath to offer had given written questions directed to free vaccinations to at-risk homeless her to the college communication staff people in the city, according to Chula to answer.)

Vista Police Sgt. Frank Giame.

Marlon King, the Emergency Services “Homeless are the most vulnerable Coordinator for the City of Chula Vista, population and this is probably where said city employees at risk of exposure the outbreak stemmed from,” he said. to the disease have been vaccinated or “We have vaccinated a good portion of encouraged to get vaccinations. These that population and we will continue employees include police officers, fire to do that.” fighters, paramedics, public works crews Giame said the CV Public Works and janitorial personnel, King said.

Department has been using a bleach Chula Vista has embarked on a solution to power wash public restrooms program of systematic power washing in parks and some other areas where

“We do not want this to get into food because it could then become an uncontrollable outbreak.”

homeless people have congregated. He said local hospitals will treat anyone with Hepatitis A. Chula Vista’s Third Avenue has enjoyed a Renaissance of redevelopment over the last decade, with new restaurants, brew pubs and other trendy gathering spots.

It has, ironically, also experienced an increase in homeless people sleeping in the doorways of 9-5 businesses after they close for the evening. City officials have said the Chula Vista homeless situation may be spillover from the San Diego homeless communities that have suffered from violence, harassment and police sweeps to move them out of certain areas.

Chula Vista and National City have long-established homeless encampments in the bed of the Sweetwater River that runs through both cities.

There are also smaller homeless encampments in the riverbed in eastern Sunnyside and into Spring Valley.

Earlier this year County Public Works crews removed several trash bins full of garbage from the river when winter rains washed refuse from the encampments where it snagged on bridges and arundo donax cane plants downstream.

Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego C o u n t y Pu b l i c He a l t h O f f i c e r, said most of the people who have contracted Hepatitis A during the outbreak have been homeless or illicit intravenous drug users. She said the outbreak is being transmitted personto-person and through contact with “fecally contaminated environments.”

Symptoms can develop 15-50 days after exposure, though some people do not immediately demonstrate any symptoms.

Hepatitis A can cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea,

Thomas Contant/Staff

TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO DREAM – A homeless woman sleeping in Chula Vista’s Memorial Park explained that she prefers to sleep in the afternoon when it is warm and to walk about on cold nights to stay warm. Chula Vista has had a spike in Hepatitis A diagnoses and city employees are working proactively with members of the homeless community to help them get vaccinated and stay clean.

vomiting, stomach pain, dark urine and pale stools.

Hepatitis A has been nearly eliminated in the United States since a vaccine was introduced in 1995. CDC records show fewer than 2,500 cases in the U.S. last year, about one in five from San Diego County.

Wooten’s teams have staged almost 1,700 field vaccination events, more than 23,000 field vaccinations and more 106,000 total vaccinations administered, according to county records.

In October, the El Cajon City Council passed an emergency ordinance that bans food distribution to the homeless on any city-owned property, obstensibly to protect residents from the virus.

El Cajon officials said the ban will

help to prevent the spreading of virus among the homeless, who received weekly food donations from volunteers.

Activists and volunteers gathered at Wells Park in El Cajon on Nov. 19 to protest the ban, handing out lunch bags with food and personal items.

King said the city of Chula Vista is taking a more compassionate approach through vaccination, sanitation and education.

City policy is not to criminalize homelessness, but rather to offer services and support to people living in streets, parks and the riverbed. Police officers are directed to help law-abiding homeless people.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors extended the local Hepatitis A health emergency into December.

A6

?

Thinking Out

Loud

What is the proper way to protest?

“We’re all allowed to protest and say whatever we want.”

Giselle Lopez, 18, Undecided

“In the sense of kneeling down and the NFL. I understand that they have a right to protest, but they should not be offended when people critique them.”

Esteban Camacho, 19, CIS

“I think as long as it’s peaceful and it does not infringe other people’s rights, people should be allowed to protest peacefully.”

Carlos Juarez, 19, Human Biology

“I think calmly...if you’re being aggressive and loud it just makes people mad.”

Michele Mendez, 18, Criminal Justice

“The proper way to protest is what you think is right, whatever you think is going to get the word out there.”

Jasmine Stewart, 18, Sociology

Follow us on: The SWC Sun Theswcsun

@theswcsun

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Theswcsun

Matthew Reilly, editor

VIEWPOINTS

Dec. 12, 2017 — Vol. 61, Issue 3

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: viewpoints@theswcsun.com

Proud member of Black Lives Matter movement

By Justin Dottery A perspective

What do you feel when you hear Black Lives Matter?

Do you feel proud?

United?

Strong?

How about scared?

There is about 47 million non– Hispanic African Americans in the U.S that says their black lives matter.

I am one of them.

Black Americans have grown used to their lives not mattering. Whether it was breaking apart families and using them as slaves, making fun of us in minstrel shows, Jim Crow laws, police brutality, and negative stereotypes on the news and entertainment media.

We are painted as thugs, drug dealers, pimps or rappers so much that young black kids tend to believe these messages, so do non-black Americans.

There has even been highly ethnic neighborhoods created that millions of other Americans are afraid to drive through, which is sad and unnecessary.

I am from one of those communities. As a writer from South Central Los Angeles, I have a voice and a responsibility to speak up for those who can’t.

I knew a person killed by police.

As a child I saw family members and friends in handcuffs searched by police in front of me at my birthday party.

I have also been a victim of racial profiling by police.

It was my freshman year of high school and my school had late start days on Wednesdays, where school didn’t start until 9:50 a.m. With the extra time in the morning, two of my classmates and I went to visit our old middle school basketball coach. After a bit of catching up about old times, he had the three of us go buy him breakfast around the corner at a local burger stand. On the way back with the food in hand, a police car pulled up next to us. Two white officers got out the car to ask why we were not in school. That was understandable, but the next questions they asked us were totally uncalled for.

“Have any of you been arrested?” asked one cop.

When we responded “no,” he kept on.

“Are you lying?” he demanded. “You know I can fingerprint you, right?”

He asked us if we were out

committing crimes or burglaries, assuming three black kids had to be criminals.

Luckily, our run-in with the police ended with my friends and I walking away from the situation unharmed.

Unfortunately, Tamir Rice, Philando Castile, Oscar Grant and scores of other African Americans were not so lucky. They are all dead.

None of them did anything to deserve to be killed.

Blacks are often seen as thugs or dangerous, no matter what type of person we are. Victims of police brutality are painted in a negative light in an attempt to justify officers who commit the senseless murder.

Any attempt to justify the killing of an innocent person shows a blatant disregard of a human life, a black human life. So we must stand up for one another (and ourselves) by letting everyone know that black lives matter.

Throughout American history blacks have had to be twice as good as whites to achieve an even playing field in sports, the workplace, school or the military.

Whether it was Jim Crow laws, segregation or just flatout hatred of blacks, we are seen as “less than” whites.

When blacks attempt to advance their place in the country or stand up for their rights, we are referred to as terrorists (Black Panther Party) or unpatriotic (national anthem protests). Racists in Charlottesville, Virginia and protests in St. Louis following the aquittal of a white police officer being charged with first-degree murder after killing 24 year-old Jason Stockley are recent examples. In Charlottesville, white supremacists took to the street spewing hate speech, cheering white power, and attacking anyone who did not agree. Their protests were met with little to no police interference.

A video circulated of a man being beaten by multiple protesters show police officers standing mere feet away with their backs turned. In contrast, the black protestors in St. Louis were met with police wearing riot gear. About 300 protesters were arrested within 18 days.

Even when African-Americans unite to peacefully speak up, we get insulting pushback. Black Lives Matter activists are brushed off by condescending white conservatives who cry “Blue Lives Matter” and “All Lives Matter.” This is a cunning way to diminish Black Lives Matter protestors. All Lives Matter white conservatives do not support the Black Lives Matter movement mainly because it means they would have to admit to white privilege. Once they do that, they are effectively admitting that racism is a real problem in the U.S. That is something they do not want to admit.

“All Lives Matter” is pointless and offensive because

Larry Estra

da/staff

not all lives are being unjustly taken by forces put in place to protect us.

“All Lives Matter” is just plain silly. If there is a breast cancer rally, would someone say “What about other cancers? All cancers matter!” That would be disrespectful to the breast cancer survivors at the rally.

Most civilized people would not insult a breat cancer survivor. Why is it okay to insult African-Americans who are survivors in a nation that enslaved, subjugated and marginalized us? And if All Lives Matter, do black lives not matter? If all lives truly mattered, All Lives Matter groups would be at Black Lives Matter rallies after a black person is killed by police, because in that moment black lives mattered less.

A misconception about Black Lives Matter among many whites is that we are saying “only” black lives matter. Not true. We are simply saying that black lives mean just as much as any other life, no more, no less.

Black Lives Matter is about equality, not supremacy.

We want the same rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness listed in the Declaration of Independence that everyone else enjoys. That cannot happen when our lives are being unjustly taken.

Conservatives also diss us with questions like, “What about black on black crime?” While it may be true that black on black crime is a problem, we are a product of the environments we grow up in. Communities with a heavy minority presence do not have many resources to better their lives, so they have to fight over those limited resources. When people cannot take advantage of legal opportunities afforded to other Americans, they often turn to illegal means of generating income to support themselves and their families, and that competition often brings violence.

Oppression of blacks in this country has gone on for centuries. Unfortunately, it is mainly blacks that are upset about it. Too many Americans do not mind oppression as long as it doesn’t affect them. I am black, I am effected by oppression and I mind. My black life matters and so do the lives of all black Americans.

Greedy corporations are not really on our side

By Matthew Reilly A perspective

Healthy eating sponsored by McDonald’s. Female empowerment sponsored by Dove. Social justice sponsored by Pepsi.

Give us a break.

Corporations have no place in contemporary social movements. They are paradoxical.

Social movements are about progress and change and are often outspoken champions of the oppressed.

When German sociologist Lorenz von Stein first coined the term “social movement,” he conveyed the idea of a “continuous, unitary process by which the whole working class gained self-consciousness and power.”

Around the same time, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published the Communist Manifesto, further clarifying the term. They claimed that “all previous historical movements were movements of minorities, or in the interest of minorities. The proletarian movement is the self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority, in the interests of the immense majority.”

Corporations, however, abhor the idea of progress. They detest any change that does not advance their brands and they spend copious amounts of money to ensure the system continues to work in their favor.

Corporations exploit the labor of the oppressed to the benefit of the privileged.

Some of the earliest U.S. social movements were in response to corporate abuse. One of the earliest recorded strikes in America occurred in 1768 when New York journeymen tailors protested a wage reduction. This is why the modern trend of major corporations sponsoring social movements is paradoxical simply due to the fact that social movements were many times born out of a need to oppose major corporations. They are the enemy and have always been the enemy and many contemporary activists need not forget that.

Powerful corporations have attempted throughout history to quell almost every social movement. Mass protests against an entrenched establishment is nothing new. Christianity started as a progressive social movement, as was the uprising that brought down the Qin dynasty in China.

Contemporary social movements, however, gained traction following the Industrial Revolution in the United States. Early protests fought hazardous working conditions. In 1909, more than 20,000 female shirtwaist makers in New York struck against dangerous sweatshop conditions. Their protests were ignored by their corporations. Less than two years later, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory caught fire, killing 146 workers.

In 1914 the Ludlow Massacre in Ludlow, Colorado moved corporatism into the realm of pure evil. A tent colony of 1,200 striking coal miners from the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company were fired upon by the U.S. Army National Guard, killing as many as 26 people, including women and children. At least two women and 11 children were asphyxiated or burned to death.

These were Ludlow’s own workers.

Government blatantly sided with corporate interests in 1981 when Ronald Reagan fired more than 11,000 striking air traffic controllers who

Matthew reilly/viewpoints editor

ignored his order to return to work. This reckless, vengeful act slowed commercial air travel, made flying less safe and left thousands of people without jobs. A spate of crashes left blood on Reagan’s hands.

“In carrying out his threat, Reagan also imposed a lifetime ban on rehiring the strikers,” wrote Andrew Glass of Politico. “The Federal Labor Relations Authority decertified PATCO (the union who initiated the strike).”

Thousands of union members gave their lives for privileges many take for granted nowadays, including 40hour work weeks, weekends off and overtime pay. Unions also ended child labor in America, improved safety and promoted civil rights.

Divisive politics have led to a rise in protest culture.

Donald Trump’s election caused a flurry of protests all across the nation, garnering massive media attention. A Fox News poll said Trump’s approval rating plunged to a historic low of 38 percent in October. Corporations began to concoct strategies to make this profitable.

Marketing agencies realized it may be lucrative to bash Trump. They exploited an opportunity by pretending to be socially liberal and dupe liberal consumers into choosing their products. So large corporations started capitalizing on modern protest culture.

Pepsi recently released a sad, tonedeaf commercial featuring Kendall Jenner attending a protest in which she inexplicably ends all societal problems by offering a Pepsi to a police officer.

Backlash was harsh. Pepsi management pulled the ad, oblivious to what it had done wrong.

“Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding,” the company said in a statement. “Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize.”

PepsiCo’s embrace of unity, peace and understanding ring hollow. This is a corporation engaged in child labor, unethically low wages and worker exploitation in Indonesia.

Activists must remember that corporations are a wealthy and powerful fo rce often in cahoots with the government. Corporate attempts to distance themselves from the Trumpian evil many citizens are protesting is becoming increasingly transparent. Frederick Douglass wrote, “power concedes nothing without demands.”

Change will occur by continuing to call out these companies on their lies and manipulative behavior.

The Southwestern College Sun

Dec. 12, 2017 – Volume 61, Issue 3

CAMPUS

A7

College works to better support its homeless

JoseLuis Baylon

Cruel corporal punishment is violence that damages children

MY HOME, MY CAR— ASO students and a formerly homeless professor assembled a display of what a homeless student’s car might look like.

By Paola Gutierrez Assistant News Editor

An invisible problem is now moving into the light.

Southwestern College has a lot of homeless students.

College leaders are reaching out to its homeless and “housing insecure” students living in their cars. A safe parking zone for homeless students may soon be in the works, said Patie M. Bartow, SWC Director of Child Development. Measuring homelessness is difficult, Bartow said, but college officials think as many as 10 percent suffer housing insecurity.

Corrie Daniels, a volunteer from Project Hope said she was surprised by the high number.

“We didn’t realize there were so many homeless students,” she said. “We don’t want them to think we don’t care, because we do care. The city of Chula Vista does not have a homeless shelter, a safe car parking lot, lockers or public showers.”

Bartow said the Jaguar Kitchen food bank is doing brisk business. Joanna Fontenot is a student worker there.

“I’ve noticed that the students that come in are shy to ask for any help, so I have to make sure they are welcomed,” she said. “A lot of the students are

considerate about what they grab and I encourage them to take more because I want to make sure they have what they need.”

Fontenot said she works at the Jaguar Kitchen because she wants to help students in need and spread the word about services.

“SWC has programs that students can apply for and there are staff members that will find other ways to find a solution for them,” she said.

The Jag Kitchen hosted a special breakfast bar during Homeless Awareness Week. Co-sponsors included the Dental Hygiene Club, students and faculty from Culinary Arts, and the Child Development Club.

In the Road to Resources event, the ASO staged a car to show what it is like to live that way. Its backseat was removed and replaced by blankets and pillows. There was a nightlight, a bag of clothes on the passenger seat and textbooks throughout.

Dreams for Change is an organization that provides safe overnight parking to homeless citizens. It operates two parking sites serving 70 families and individuals each night. SWC officials are studying the Dreams of Change model.

Bartow invited SWC students without access to food during the college winter break to her at pbartow@swccd.edu.

SERVED WITH CARE— SWC students serve breakfast to students in The Jag Kitchen. Culinary students spent a night preparing meals.

Homelessness in ChulA vista BY THE NUMBERS Chula Vista is home to 4 percent of San Diego County’s homeless population. Every year the Regional Task Force on Homelessness counts the homeless population in San Diego County. Chula Vista’s homeless population at a glance:

The Reality

30

live in

About 120 live unsheltered

The People

tents

35% are chronically homeless

14%

are on probation or parole

Anibal Alcaraz/staff

43

live in emergency housing

367

Total homeless persons counted in 2017

174

live in ve hicles

12%

30%

are veterans

are women

4% have a mental illness

2% have substance abuse problems

Bullies take many shapes, but none worse than parents.

I know, my parents were my bullies.

Undiagnosed with a learning disability in middle school, I upset my parents by not being an A+ student.

They took matters into their own hands, beating me after school in the name of discipline. When that was not enough, they coordinated with my homeroom teacher to sit me like a dunce in the middle of campus, 30 minutes before school ended, to get a dosage of public humiliation. While nearly 1,000 students prepared to finish their day, eager to go home to their parents, they would look out their window, giggling at a student struggling with a disability.

I experienced severe depression when I was just 12 years old.

By condoning this punishment, the school opened the door for students to deliver additional bullying, which made walking on to campus each day an unsafe, agonizing experience.

Bullied at school and physically abused at home, I had no escape. It might have made me more resilient as an adult, but at what cost?

Severe childhood abuse increases psychiatric disorders such as depression, aggression, anxiety, impulsivity, suicide and substance abuse.

These are the findings from a McGill University study of postmortem brain samples from suicide victims who were depressed with a history of severe childhood abuse.

Scientists found oligodendrocytes, which form an electrical insulating layer surrounding axons, get reprogrammed epigenetically as a result of abuse. This leads to the lasting disruption of cortical myelination, a fundamental process of cerebral connectivity.

Those with abuse in their history have thinner myelin sheaths protecting their neurons, which increases the lifetime risk of devastating and longlasting consequences.

Despite this groundbreaking study, this vulnerability is still poorly understood.

Parents who routinely abuse their children damage their futures.

UC San Francisco researchers found that childhood exposure to psychological stress and depression are associated with shorter white blood cell telomere length. Telomeres are shorter on people who stress, feel anxious or are suicidal. They are also shorter on angry, violent children. Shorter telomeres have been linked to shorter lifespan.

There are some things that hugs simply cannot fix. Even years after abuse and into childhood, the abused child inside still suffers. Researchers from Duke University have found that adults have a difficult time accepting parental warmth and love. This unnerving situation is caused by childhood confusion from being hit and loved, all at the same time.

When I was sent for punishment in the middle of the campus, I sat next to the flagpole. Alone, I had to find a way to ignore being hurt by people taunting me.

I remember the U.S. flag protecting my eyes from the intensity of the sun.

Somehow, the U.S. flag was also saving my solidarity.

The U.S. Flag was standing with me, I thought. Using patriotism to give me strength, I adjusted my way of thinking to emphasize unity and protection underneath the flag. This was my method of self-preservation. Growing up, I never realized that my situation was part of a larger, homegrown issue in America.

JoseLuis may be reached at plutotoplato@theswcsun.com

Dec. 12, 2017 – Volume 61, Issue 3

Carolina Rubio, editor

CAMPUS

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: campus@theswcsun.com

A9

Poverty cannot overwhelm hope in The Philippines

By Brittany Cruz-Fejeran Assistant Sports Editor

Photos Courtesy of Brian Abiva

BAREFOOT DREAMS —Young Filipino children (top) make their way to school and are happy for the opportunity despite a student-to-teacher ratio of 150:1 (center) Children crowd around an American teacher excited to get a snack. (above) Typhoons frequently severely damage or destroy schools and community centers.

Brian Abiva never forgot what he saw in the Philippines 10 years ago when three scrawny pieces of chicken were shared by 25 hungry children.

It was a perfect metaphor for the beautiful but troubled archipelago nation of 7,107 islands and at least as many problems.

In 2007, Abiva, 37, a computer information systems major, was a first class petty officer on the U.S.S. Rentz deployed to the Philippines. He visited several islands including Tawi Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, and Mindanao.

These islands were plagued with crime and poverty, Abiva said. He and his crewmates spent two weeks building houses and orphanages for the children living in these streets and jungles.

Most orphans had no shoes.

Those fortunate enough to attend school would often be crammed into classes with 150 students per teacher and a subpar curriculum, said Abiva. Orphanages and schools were frequently destroyed by typhoons — sometimes within months of being built (or rebuilt).

When he saw the contrast between their way of life versus the one he was accustomed to, it left a mark on him.

Humanitarian work was their primary mission, Abiva said, but he was also ordered to gather information about Muslim extremist organizations and other terror groups.

Kidnapping was and remains a brutal but effective source of revenue for terrorists. They played for keeps, killing victims when ransom did not come quickly enough.

One particularly violent group is Abu Sayyaf (Bearer of the Sword), allies of ISIS. Abu Sayyaf, was small, but particularly vicious, Abiva. It was responsible for the deadliest terrorist attack in the Philippines history. In early 2004 a ferry heading to Bacolod in central Philippines was bombed, killing 116 people.

Facing grave danger, Abiva and his crewmates had security support provided by the Philippine Navy whenever they patrolled the city.

“We are

Brittany Cruz-Fejeran/staff

ABIVA

going into an area with known terrorists and at that time I was scared,” he said. “So (helping the community) distracted us not to think about the fact that we could get attacked at any time.”

Working so closely alongside the Philippine Navy, Abiva heard a lot. Terrorists would often target less affluent families.

“They would take the father, convert him, and say, ‘Do this task or we will kill your family,’” he said.

Family is often all povertystricken Filipinos have, according to Abiva. Terrorists used strong family ties and love to create violence and hatred, he said.

Sadly, Abiva said, matters may be even worse today due to increased terrorism mixed with the bombastic president Rodrigo Duterte.

The Philippine strongman ordered a siege on an Abu Sayyaf stronghold with intentions to apprehend terrorist leader Isnilon Hapilon. Military and police forces were met with unexpected firepower and fierce fighting. Casualties mounted on both sides. Hapilon escaped and Duterte declared martial law over the entire island of Mindanao, forcing thousands of citizens into hiding.

Five months into martial law, soldiers killed Hapilon and other rebel leaders. Duterte however, did not lift martial law.

“It will not stop until the last terrorist is taken out,” said Duterte.

Abiva said that could be many years away. Until then, poor Filipinos will struggle over pieces of chicken.

CAMPUS

Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: campus@theswcsun.com

Dec. 12, 2017 — Vol. 61, Issue 3

College bracing for more hate crimes

By Brelio Lozano Staff Writer

Donald Trump’s course rhetoric has penetrated one of America’s last bastions of civility, the nations higher education systems. Southwestern College has not been immune.

Since the election of Trump, there has been a spike in racially-tinged campus incidents throughout the nation, according to reports in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

“Organizations that track hate crimes have seen a rise in reports since the presidential election,” read an article

by Nadia Dreid and Shannon Najmabadi.

Southwestern has suffered its share. In the run-up to the election, copies of The Sun and El Sol Magazine with Muslim students on the covers were defaced with racist messages in support of Trump. Thousands of dollars of El Sol were stolen or destroyed. The same issue later was named America’s College Magazine of the Year by three news organizations.

This semester SWC was marred by an incident on campus where an unidentified individual was posting anti-Muslim messages on the SWC Campus Snapchat Story. He filmed Muslim students and pestered them with derogatory comments and insulting questions about Sharia Law and ISIS. SWC President Dr. Kindred Murillo said she is concerned about the safety and happiness of Muslim students.

“The first progress we got was to get Snapchat to take down one of the photos and we were able to get two of them taken down,” she said. “We are working continuously to try to identify the perpetrators.”

Free speech rights have collided with statutes banning hate speech. Incitements of violence and racism. Speech rights have also become very politicized in the Age of Trump.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions declared last month that freedom of thought and speech are “under attack” on American campuses became protestors rallied against alt-right and neo-Nazi speakers and gatherings.

Sessions cited a 2017 survey from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) that found

40 percent of responding colleges maintained speech codes “substantially infringing” on Constitutionally protected speech. (Southwestern College made this list in 2009-2010 when former superintendent Raj Chopra tried to block publication of the Sun and Vice President Nicholas Alioto suspended four professors for attending a student protest on class cuts.)

Sessions picked out a handful of instances of restrictive speech codes at colleges and universities, as well as notable incidents involving campus speech conflicts, to depict a broad threat to free expression in higher education.

FIRE, an advocacy organization that defends individual rights at America’s colleges and Universities, welcomed Sessions’ speech, according to Executive Director Robert Shibley.

“As campuses struggle with an uptick in violence in response to controversial speech, we are glad to see the Department of Justice bring much-needed attention to this issue,” wrote Shibley.

PEN America, another group that advocates for free speech, questioned some of the attorney general’s statements. PEN noted that Sessions did not mention Maria Joaquin/staff incidents in which conservatives have urged colleges COMBATING HATE IN AMERICA—Oscar Garcia from sometimes successfully to block speakers. the District Attorney’s Office leads a panel on hate speech at “In an environment where the White House and SWC. administration have repeatedly failed to convincingly denounce hateful rhetoric and gestures, some Americans “Stand Against Hate,” a Law and Justice Panel in understandably fear that menacing speech is spreading collaboration with the office of Equity, Diversity and untrammeled and can morph into dangerous action,” Inclusion Committee and the office of Student Equity the PEN statement read. “We agree with Jeff Sessions Programs and Services. that the defense of free speech rights on campus must Jamie Ledezma, assistant professor of Criminal Justice be uncompromising, and that neither the heckler’s veto and former San Diego city attorney, moderated the nor considerations of political correctness should be event. allowed to silence controversial speech. We also share the “The obligation as a Higher Education Institution, concern that, in some instances, free speech rights have as community members, is to have some open and been sidelined in favor of other values and priorities. honest conversations, sometimes those are difficult But we note that calls to silence free speech on campus conversations,” said Ledezma. “But really understanding in recent months have derived from both the left and that intersection between freedom of speech and hate the right and regret that the attorney general confined crimes once they come together, and the balancing act his examples to left-leaning groups protesting voices that some of our communities have to try to achieve considered more conservative.” while they try to maintain our constitutional protections SWC’s Pathway to Law School Program hosted as well as also protecting individuals from offensive and

Intolerance on campus 2006

SWC Gay Straight Alliance Club, (now known as SAGA) has its posters trashed and defaced with homophobic epithets.

The Sun newsroom is vandalized with hate speech posters targeting a reporter who wrote an unpopular opinion piece.

Writer and advisor receive death threats.

2013

2016

Generally a peaceful campus, SWC has had flare ups of intolerance against minority students and journalists.

ASO President Mona Dibas is featured on the front page of The Sun following her election. “Trump 2016” is scrawled across the front page, over her face.

Copies of a special edition of The Sun focused on sexual assault on college campuses are vandalized with “Trump 2016” across the front page.

2016

2016

SAGA Club cubical in ASO building is vandalized with HIV/ AIDS messages targeting gay and bi-sexual men plastered over the walls.

Other club cubicles are untouched.

Copies of El Sol Magazine featuring Mona Dibas are stolen and vandalized. Covers torn off. Journalism advisor assaulted

by Trump supporter while circulating the magazines.

2017

2017

A Muslim student on campus is stalked, photographed and posted to SWC’s Snapchat Story with antiMuslim texts across her photo.

College modernizes its failing math curriculum

By Carolina Rubio Campus Editor

Legendary math teacher Jaime Escalante called math “the great equalizer,” a voice that transcended language and provided a glimpse into creation.

For generations of Southwestern College students, however, math is where dreams come to die.

Hundreds—if not thousands—of students see their goals stalled, modified or destroyed every year when their math does not add up.

Legions of students test into lowlevel math and are buried there for years, sometimes forever.

New college leaders are looking for ways to grant students clemency from “Death By Math” and still meet state transfer standards. Statway may be just the formula.

Statway, short for Statistics Pathway, was funded in 2016 by a Title V grant and could be a game changer for students not majoring in math or science.

SWC’s School of Math, Science and Engineering (MSE) collaborated with the Carnegie Foundation to implement two accelerated courses that teach elementary algebra through introductory statistics in a sequence. Professor of Mathematics

Nghiep Quan credited the success of the courses to faculty training at Carnegie Foundation Conference.

“Math education over the years has had many revolutions,” he said.

“Unfortunately, many of them were not successful. Not because they were not great ideas. Typically it’s because the implementation phase of it is not done well.”

Math department co-chair Karen Cliffe said the goal of Statway is to help students that needed general education math, but struggled to get through the Intermediate Algebra.

She says she hopes liberal arts majors can get through some meaningful math without the trauma.

“If you’re going to be an MSE major or a business major you do need a higher level algebra,” she said. “For many majors, you don’t. Statistics is something that is around us in the world and we have to be able to analyze data just in our everyday lives and in many professions.”

Students testing into remedial math take up to five classes before they could even enroll in transferrable college-level classes.

With Statway, many students need only two courses. MSE dean Dr. Michael Odu said he is optimistic, but he and faculty need time to evaluate the program.

Natalie Mosqueda/staff

STATWAY OVER ALGEBRA—Professor Nghiep Quan teaches a large part of his statistics class through his iPad on the projector. His class includes group work and collaborating to boost understanding of the lessons.

“Any data would be really preliminary,” he said. “If the numbers are high, I would not be comfortable with it because it would be misleading.”

A Carnegie Foundation study reported college students enrolled in Statway and Quantway developmental math programs transfer from community colleges to four-year universities at higher rates (43-46 percent) than all community college students nationwide (32 percent).

Math co-chair Silvia Nadalet said a course has a higher success rate if faculty participated in professional development programs.

“It is not just the subject matter,

but the method of instruction is different than any standard lecture, group work, quizzes type of situation,” she said.

Nadalet said Statway is transferable to CSU and UC campuses.

Registration for Statway courses has increased within the past year, Cliffe said, but she urged students to ask academic counselors whether it fits their transfer needs.

“It depends on your major, it depends on your learning style, it depends on your goals, it depends on a whole host of things,” she said.

“It depends on what level of depth and understanding you need for your next step. I’m not a fan of one-size fits all, options are a good thing.”

A8

Ex-dean serving as interim VP

By Carolina Rubio Campus Editor

Renee M. Kilmer, Ph.D., is the new as interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, replacing Kathy Tyner. Tyner retired during the summer after holding the position for nearly 5 years. Kilmer plans to hold the position for the academic year and help tie loose ends while the college conducts its search for a permanent VPAA. “When the opportunity arose to continue along this path here at Southwestern, I was thrilled,” she said. “I have very good memories of this beautiful campus with its stellar programs, and dedicated faculty and staff.”

Natalie Mosqueda/staff After KILMER holding the position of dean of Communications at SWC in the for nine years, Kilmer then left San Diego to be a Vice President of Instruction at Cabrillo College in northern California. Though she had retired in 2005, she worked as Interim Vice President of Instruction at San Diego City College District for two years, a post that ended in June 2017.

Kilmer said she plans to work with faculty staff on managing enrollment, the way in which the college recruits and retains students in the classroom in order to increase graduation and transfer rates.

Kilmer says she seeks to continue the work Tyner began, including working on the school’s careerfocused pathways. SWC is one of 20 colleges in the state chosen for the project, which helps colleges across California implement clear plans for their educational goals.

SWC superintendent, Kindred Murillo Ph.D., says Kilmer will help move the guided pathways forward and making sure the school’s programs are aligned.

Along with educational goals, the Board of Trustees is working on implementing programs and new services for students with food or home insecurity. Board president Tim Nader says this will help students reach their academic goals more efficiently and increase retention rates.

“We want to be a leader in the community on economic development because we want to put our students in jobs,” Murillo said.

Kilmer’s anticipated short time at SWC leaves her with the task of continuing already set programs and ensuring the office runs smoothly.

“I think our big goal right now is to make it as easy for our students to work through the educational process as possible, making sure students don’t get stuck in basic skills sequences,” Murillo said.

“Some of our faculty are doing really great work at getting the acceleration through some of the English and math classes that often students get stuck in when you’re not quite college ready.”

@THESWCSUN

Carolina Rubio, editor

SPORTS

A10 Dec. 12, 2017 — Volume 61, Issue 3

The Southwestern College Sun

Victoria Sanchez / Staff

Rebounding

Basketball team leaves behind a 6-21 season

By Justin Dottery Staff Writer

Shoes are squeaking on the hardwood in the venerable gym, nets are popping and balls are bouncing once again. College basketball season is coming and the Southwestern College Jaguars look to rebound from a tough 6-21 season.

Last season the Jaguars averaged almost 10 turnovers per game. Coaches and players pledge to decrease that number this year. Coaches also hoped for less turnover on the roster. Head Coach John Consentino said 2017 was marred by injuries and ineligibilities to a lot of key players.

“Last year’s team was an anomaly, an apparition, whatever you want to call it,” he said. “This year we are looking for a big turnaround as far as the record is concerned.”

SWC also struggled on the defensive end of the floor, allowing 76.6 ppg. Lack of size and a legitimate shot blocker were problems last year.

“A metaphor for football would be, you have great receivers, great quarterback and no offensive line,” said Cosentino. “When they had big guys, we could not stop them. If you got inside the paint against us, you got a rebound or a bucket. You cannot win like that. It all starts with defense.”

After starting the season 3-9, the team has struggled, but the coaches were aware that there may be growing pains. With a team composed mostly of new faces, the Jaguars floor a team with limited college basketball experience. Assistant coach Anthony Cosentino said maturity will be the biggest challenge for the team.

“We only have five sophomores and a majority of our freshmen are true freshmen,” he said. “We already have a tight-knit team, but I think adversity, as the season goes along, will make them tighter and better.”

Team captain Emilio Arellano and freshman point guard Jose Serrano will look to lead the charge for the Jaguars this winter.

Arellano, who plays as forward, was last year’s leading scorer and the most consistent player.

Assistant coach Demetrius Cosentino said Arellano is the spine

of the team.

“He is the fiercest competitor, the most consistent scorer, and the most consistent rebounder,” he said.

Arellano’s stats on the season back up his coach’s faith. He is averaging 14.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. He used this past offseason to work on his outside shooting to make himself more of an all-around offensive threat.

“I think I was faster than the bigger guys they had guarding me last year,” he said. “When I took them outside they were slower than me. Now they also have to respect the jump shot.”

“We already have a tightknit team, but I think adversity, as the season goes along, will make them tighter and better.”

-Anthony Cosentino Assistant Coach

Freshman forward Jose Serrano, native of Venezuela and a top prep player at Balboa School in Escondido, is averaging 12.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game.

Arellano and Serrano have developed a unique chemistry on the court, and both play key roles for this year’s team, said Demetrius Cosentino. “(Arellano) and Jose Serrano have been huge for us rebounding wise, he said. “One of our goals is to out-rebound the other team

every game. They have both really led by example every day.”

Arellano said he and Serrano hope to lead their team to late season victories.

“We have already played a few showcases,” he said. “The chemistry me and Jose have is really good. When we are on the same team, we are almost unstoppable.”

Last year’s team lacked a legitimate starting point guard last season, but that does not seem to be the case this year. Freshmen Darryl Wilson, Quincy Ferebee and Kai Raboncho-Smith have brought stability, said Demetrius Cosentino. He said the young guards are confident and capable playmakers.

“Being able to have that many guards on the floor together opens up a lot of opportunities,” he said. “We can have multiple playmakers at once.”

Ferebee is averaging 9.1 points and 4.1 assists per game thus far, and has a fan in Arellano.

“Ferebee is going to make great plays for us this year,” Arellano said. “As soon as he grabs the ball, he is so confident with it.”

Youth and inexperience hurt the Jaguars in the home opener against Saddleback College, ranked #3 in California.

SWC lost by a score of 89-65. Though the team was able to keep the score within single digits in the first half, it fell victim to the experience of the Gaucho squad. Saddleback was able to get open looks and knock down shots, while going on runs to get separation on the scoreboard and come away with the victory.

Demetrius Cosentino pointed to a lack of maturity as a major factor in the outcome.

“Saddleback was a really experienced and sophomoredominated squad, while we only have five sophomores,” he said. “It is tough when they are experienced and hitting a lot of shots, getting what they want. We are young and we are going to get better.”

The Jaguars will be in action again at home on Dec. 19 against the Palomar Comets, but before then will play away games and tournaments that could help them gain wisdom as a team.

Lady Jaguars shot down in a shootout

By Ivana E. Morales Sports Editor

As so many epic soccer matches do, the Lady Jaguars’ playoff match against Chaffey College was down to penalty kicks.

What 120 minutes of aggressive, passionate play could not resolve, three minutes of high-pressure placements finally settled.

Southwestern College came out on the short end to the kick.

SWC’s magical season ended 3-2 on PKs on the pitch at Rancho Cucamonga. Like love, however, magic can live on even after the end.

Chaffey came out aggressive and the first half of the match went back and forth. Both teams had scoring opportunities in front of the goal, but could not close. In the 25th minute, a rare error by the Jaguars’ defense allowed a penalty kick. Chaffey forward Melanie Martinez converted the penalty and the Panthers took a 1-0 lead.

The second half had the same intensity and the Lady Jaguars were running out of time.

With just 8 minutes left freshman forward Damaris Aguila was dragged down in the goal area. Sophomore midfielder Bianca Mora drilled the penalty kick to equalize the score at 1-1.

“It was an incredible feeling,” said Mora.

“We were fighting so hard to tie the game.

I was so happy because we were able to get back to competing for the win.”

After two scoreless 15-minute overtime periods, the spent teams lined up for five penalty kicks each. Soto said it was a fitting

conclusion to an epic match.

“All the players were exhausted,” Soto said.

“It was just whoever wanted it more. They pushed and we fought for the ball. We could not get it in, they could not get in.”

Five Jaguars stepped up to take the decisive penalty kicks. Chaffey scored three times, but the Jaguars could only muster two. Chaffey won by the very closest of margins. Soto was philosophical about the heartbreaking loss.

“With penalty kicks it is always 50/50 and even the best player misses,” said Soto.

It was the end of the season for the Lady Jaguars, but more rewards were to come.

Mora, Camacho, Aguila, sophomore defender Leticia Urenda and freshman for ward Mitzy Ortega were named to the All-PCAC first team. Aguila was also selected PCAC Offensive Player of the Year after finishing her freshman season first in the conference with 22 goals. Mora was a finalist for Player of the Year.

“It was an amazing season,” said Mora. “I am glad I was a part of with such a special group of girls.”

Universities have shown interest in members of the soccer team, Soto said, a new development.

“Right now I am replying to coaches,” she said. “A lot of them are looking at our players to give them scholarships to move on to the next level.”

Athletic Director Jim Spillers said he is proud of the program’s accomplishments.

“Their performance was nothing short of tremendous,” he said. “It was a magical year Natalie Mosqueda / Staff that will be remembered for a very long time.” UP AND OVER— Midfielder Aletse Camacho fights her way with past San Bernardino Valley College player Perri Beck.

Dec. 12, 2017 — Vol. 61, Issue 3

Ivana E. Morales, editor Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: sports@theswcsun.com

SPORTS

A11

All-Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Soccer Team Goalkeeper of the Year Kentaro Matsuura

Field Players Ronald Beeson, Sophmore Fernando Aparcio, Sophmore Marco Sanchez, Sophmore Bernardo Leyva, Sophmore KING OF KEEPERS— Japanese import Kentaro Matsuura was honored as PCAC Goalkeeper of the Year.

Victoria Sanchez / Staff

Jaguars fall short of PCAC title

By Ivana E. Morales Sports Editor

It ended too soon.

Soccer can be that way.

A strong men’s soccer team fell one match short of the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Championship despite a record of 10 wins, six losses and six ties.

The Jaguars battled the San Bernardino Valley College Wolverines, who ended up claiming the 2017 PCAC title when SWC lost to College of the Desert, 4-3.

Team Captain Josue Lopez said the loss was tough to take.

“That game was just ridiculous,” said Lopez. “It was a 50/50, but overall we dominated the game.”

Southwestern played San Bernardino Valley even this year, winning the first encounter, 2-1, on goals by sophomore midfielder Marco Sanchez and sophomore forward Ronnie Beeson. SWC lost at SBVC, 4-2, in a re-match.

Josh Brown, San Bernardino’s Valley head coach, is a protégé of SWC coach Cem Tont.

“He is one of my former players,” Tont said. “He played for me when he was a young kid. He is a good coach and very disciplined. San Bernardino

Valley is a good rival.”

Four SWC players were named All-PCAC. Sophomore defender Fernando Aparicio, sophomore midfielder Bernardo Leyva, Sanchez and Beeson were honored. Freshman Kentaro Matsuura was named PCAC Goalkeeper of the Year. Tont said Leyva was one of the best players he has coached at SWC. “He was probably the best player in the conference,” said Tont. “He is very highly skilled and has great anticipation. Even though he is a short guy, he has very good timing in the air. Bernardo is very disciplined and has the right temperament.”

Leyva played for Cuyamaca College in 2014. He said he enrolled at SWC because it was the closest community college to his home and he knew about the excellent reputation of the soccer program.

“Considering that I did not play competitive soccer for two years, I would say did great,” he said. “A few injuries prevented me from being 100 percent fit the whole season, but I always gave my best effort to provide for the team.”

Leyva said the season ended too soon.

“We had the squad and staffing to go a lot further, but a few hiccups and mistakes did not allow it,” he said. “Overall, we had a good run full of emotions, happy and disappointing moments.”

Matsuura started all 22 games and accumulated 990 minutes with a save percentage of .694 and four shutouts after moving here from Japan.

“This was my first season here in the United States, so it had a positive impact for me,” said Matsuura. “I feel my performance was not too good, but not too bad.”

Tont admitted he was disappointed the team fell just short of a PCAC title this year.

“We lost the championship by one game,” he said. “We always set high because every year we are contenders.”

Though the squad will be losing eight sophomores, the returning freshmen will provide the experience required for the upcoming season, Lopez said.

“We had a lot of freshmen,” he said. “They learned not to have regrets on the field and do not underestimate their opponent.”

Spring 2018 will mark the beginning of rebuilding period for the soccer program, Tont said.

“If it was a Division I program you can know because there are scholarships and you can pick,” he said. “The community college level is very inconsistent, so we need to have a very flexible formation system so the newcomers can adapt.”

And perhaps win that one elusive match.

Water polo team stays afloat despite rough waters Story and Photos By Victoria Sanchez Photo Co-Editor

Southwestern College’s women’s water polo team struggled to keep its head above water during a stormy 1-18 season, but players made it to shore alive to swim another day.

Maybe next year they will even have a pool.

SWC’s Wellness and Aquatic Complex was scheduled to open this fall, but during the summer the opening was rescheduled for spring 2018, which left the team once again without a home and another disheartening season ahead.

Coach Jennifer Harper said the absence of a pool on campus caused the college to lose returning players that grew weary of the commute to National City where they practiced in a municipal pool. Some newer players had to quit due to the lack of transportation.

Team co-captain Elizabeth Rozow played water polo at SWC for two seasons, but never a single match on campus. She and a small core of players tried to soldier on.

“At the beginning of the season we only had four people and we kept telling each other that we needed to find more,” she said. “We have been trying to make do with what we have.”

Freshman Nicole Motale was one of the few new players able to make the daily trek to Las Palmas Pool in National City to practice.

“We had difficulties building a team with a lot of players due to the location of the pool,” she said. “It is a fairly nice pool, but the commute is a bit far and is not as convenient as having a pool on campus.”

With only 11 players on the roster and seven women out in the water at a time, there were not enough substitutes, which wore down the entire team. Harper said the over-taxed players were more susceptible to injury and illness.

“It has been a rough season,” she said. “We never had a full practice with everybody at Las Palmas pool at the same time.”

Rozow agreed that the situation was tough, but she said it provided everyone with lots of playing time.

“It is amazing to watch these girls when some of our top players are out,” she said. “They stepped up and really filled in that gap.”

Between tournaments and conference games, the team played 19 games and scored a total of 102 goals. Freshman Genova Lucatero scored 69 of them.

Harper said Lucatero was a “triple threat.”

“She has speed, she has strength, and she has just a great ability to move her defense in order to shoot,” Harper said. “ She is a really dynamic player and a really good defender, which helps.” gap.”

Lucatero, 18, swam competitively for seven --Elizabeth Rozow, years since the age of six.

Team Captain She started playing water polo when the Chula Vista Aquatics Club recruited her when she was 14. CVAC is closely affiliated with the Baja California water polo team, which she joined in November 2013.

“Playing for SWC was definitely different for me,” Lucatero said. “It taught me to have more confidence in myself and in the game. It made me step out of my comfort zone as I tried things I don’t usually get to apply with my club team. I learned a lot of new things as well.”

Rozow is a Lucatero fan.

“She is an amazing player,” said Rozow. “We are so blessed to have her on our team.”

Harper said she is proud of her players because they gave their all.

“This team works hard,” she said. “It has been a challenge, but we did not drop a game, we did not drop a tournament and there are other teams in our ONCE AROUND THE BLOCK — SWC goalie Madison Christiansen denies Grossmont College. league that did, so I think we are doing alright.”

“It is amazing to watch these girls when some of our top players are out. They stepped up and really filled that

A12

Dec. 12, 2017 — Vol. 61, Issue 3

SPORTS

LATIN TWIST — Guard Jose Serrano dodges and weaves through Saddleback College’s defense to score.

The Southwestern College Sun

Victoria Sanchez / Staff

Venezuelan prodigy lights up American basketball courts

By Ivana Morales Sports Editor

Basketball is more than a sport for Jose Ignacio Serrano. It drove him from his hometown in Venezuela to Southwestern College. It may take him even further.

Serrano, 19, was born and raised in Barinas, a city near to the Andean Piedmont 326 miles away from Caracas, the capital.

Soccer and baseball are the most popular sports in Venezuela, but basketball has a healthy niche, he said.

“Even though basketball is not that prominent, Venezuela is always in the top five of South America,” he said.

His father, Alvis, played International Athletes professionally in Barinas with a second division team until he retired due to injuries. Serrano said he used to hear stories about the athletic prowess of his father, so he became curious and started to play basketball at age 11.

“My father never forced me to choose a sport,” he said. “He motivated me to play by not motivating me.”

Serrano said he began playing in an elementary school near his house and one year later became part of the Barinas state team that competed in national tournaments.

“I was 13 when I represented Venezuela in the Juegos Sudamericanos Escolares held in Colombia,” he said. “The next year we went to Brasil where we became champions.”

In 2015, Serrano was a candidate for the Venezuelan national U-15 team, but he was the last player cut. Serrano said the experience marked a turning point in his life.

“I was so disappointed,” he said. “People told me to my face I did not have talent. I had two options: to give up and stop playing basketball or keep working to become a better player.”

faces Immigration of

Natalie Mosqueda / Staff

After the heartrending episode, Serrano said he left Barinas to play in the Venezuelan state of Carabobo, where he competed in two national championships. During that time, recruiter Wilmer Carvajal was looking for talent to play in the U.S. when he noticed Serrano. Carvajal recorded Serrano’s games and sent the videos to high schools all around the country. It was Balboa School, a private high school in Escondido, that offered a full-ride scholarship to the Venezuelan prodigy.

“Moving to the U.S. was a difficult transition for me,” he said.

“When I came here I did not know a word of English and that made the practices harder. Being in that position where I needed to learn, it helped me to quickly understand the language.”

English was not the only barrier Serrano needed to conquer. U.S. basketball was different, he said, so he needed to adapt quickly.

“The American style is faster and more physical,” he said. “I had peers who moved here to play, but they returned to Venezuela after a few months because they could not follow the pace.”

He played his first year as a sophomore and started. During his senior year, Serrano said, he almost signed with Cal State East Bay, a Division II school.

“One thing I have learned is not to make decisions out of desperation,” he said. “We need to be patient, and even though the offer looks very good, it may not be the best thing.”

After graduation, Serrano contemplated returning to Venezuela because he did not know where to go to college. Hardy Asprilla, assistant head coach of California Baptist University and a former member of Colombia’s national team, recommended Southwestern College.

“I called the coaches and they contacted me back,” Serrano said.

“They helped me with everything I needed and now I have the opportunity to play for the Jaguars.”

Serrano joined the Jaguars during the summer practices where he met team captain Emilio Arellano. They developed a rivalry that was not healthy. Arellano said the coaches had a stern talk with them.

“We were competing against each other in the beginning,” Arellano said. “We started to connect in our first tournaments and then we became unstoppable.”

Being the only Latin American players on the team helped them to create a singular bond. Arellano said they communicate in Spanish during games.

“We know where we are going to be at all times,” he said.

“We are always talking on the court. We try not to do it a lot in practice, but in the games that throws off other players and our teammates already know what is going on.”

Arellano said he is looking forward to playing with Serrano this season until their paths take a different direction.

“After SWC, we are going to be at different schools,” he said. “I hope one day we play with our national teams against each other. I will always wish the best for him wherever he goes.”

Standing 6 feet 7 inches, Serrano is an all-around player. He can play point guard, shooting guard or forward. He is quick and has an excellent ball control. Head coach John Cosentino called him the “best player on the team.”

“He is our rock,” he said. “We try to center everything around him offensively. He is very talented.”

Averaging 12.0 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, Serrano has received scholarship offers from Division I and Division II universities, but he has not made a decision yet. Cosentino said Serrano is going to be a valuable addition to whatever university he chooses.

“After SWC, he would have three more years to play at a four-year level,” Cosentino said. “He needs to find the right fit, academically, socially and basketball-wise.”

Serrano said the Jaguars can win the conference title this season and he wants to leave his mark.

“I want to embody the idea that if you come to play for SWC, you can move on to the next level,” he said. “If I could do it, anyone can.”

Serrano said his mother, Melissa Suarez, taught him to face down challenges.

“She always said even if you are being mistreated by people, you always need to finish the job,” he said. “Do not give up no matter what and keep working so you can grow as a person.”

It was tough to leave his family behind to pursue his dream, Serrano said, but he does not regret leaving Venezuela.

“The most difficult thing for me is that I do not know what my brothers are doing,” he said. “I cannot be with my family during the holidays and every time I see my siblings they look bigger.

Time does not stop, but my parents are happy that I am here in the U.S.”

Natalie Mosqueda / Staff

HOOP DREAMS —Jose Serrano hopes to play at a Division I university next year.

Dec. 12, 2017 — Volume 61, Issue 3

ARTS

The Southwestern College Sun

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Blood Wedding bleeds raw emotion

By Marty Loftin Arts Editor

If William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe are the kings of English tragedy, then Federico Garcia Lorca es el rey de la tragedia española.

A Southwestern College production of Lorca’s “Blood Wedding,” directed

by Sandra Cortez, was expertly and efficiently executed. It managed to slowly ramp up the tension until the tragedy at the heart of the play was fully realized in a visually powerful climax. Even without prior knowledge of the story, Lorca lets on from the very first scene that death is in the air.

“Blood Wedding” is the story of infidelity in a broken love triangle.

Although the Bride (Sabrina Boudreaux) is to be wed to her Bridegroom (Jordon Holguin), she wishes to be with her old lover, Leonardo (Brenton Warren), who is unhappily married. It is far too late for either of them to actually be together and the guilt of their affair causes them to lash out at each other and their loved ones. Soon after her wedding, the lovers flee into the night and are hunted by the spurned Bridegroom.

“Blood Wedding” is part of Lorca’s “rural trilogy” of tragedies set in the Spanish countryside. It focuses on the conflict between desire and duty in a time and place where men and women were encouraged to marry out of economic necessity, not love.

Lorca portrays a cold truth that the universe

punishes those that attempt to challenge fate. There is no escape from the cycle of oppression crushing Spanish rural society.

Every day Leonardo rides his horse nearly to death so that he may visit his secret love in the early hours of the morning, when the Bride is said to be baking bread. He lies to his wife (Violeta Reuiz-Lopez) and her mother (Grecia Juarez) while taking out his guilt and shame on them.

Reuiz-Lopez and Juarez also sing a haunting lullaby with lyrics that allude to the eventual bloodshed in an attempt to comfort the baby and each other. Despite knowing something is wrong, neither Leonardo’s wife nor his mother-in-law are able to act on their suspicion. Reuiz-Lopez and Juarez capture the emotional struggle of those trapped in an abusive relationship.

The set pieces for “Blood Wedding” are minimal and effective. In any given scene only a few chairs or tables are present. There is nothing to distract the audience from the human drama unfolding on stage except for the grim memento mori behind the stage.

Projected in the background throughout the entire play is a floating moon imposed with a death’s-head hawkmoth. This omen of doom bears markings on its back that resembles a human skull. As the play progresses, the moth grows until it blocks out the

light of the moon. It serves to build tension right up to the bloody end.

When the Bride and Leonardo decide to flee and hide in the woods, the star-crossed lovers are exposed by a white-clad personification of the Moon (Rosa Pritchard) that craves that blood be spilled. Despite the prayers of a sympathetic woodcutter for clouds to hide the fleeing lovers, the moon refuses to protect them.

Death takes the form of a beggar woman dressed in rags (Erica Mejos) that helps guide the Bridegroom to where his Bride and her lover have hidden. She revels in the death of the two men, who kill each other in a stunning knife fight. As they die tangled in each other’s bloody limbs, the moon disappears, satisfied with their sacrifice.

It is the Bridegroom’s Mother (Cynthia Ochoa) who suffers the most. Ochoa turns in the play’s most powerful performance, able to capture her character’s terrible loss with convincing emotion. Without her son, she has lost everything – save her former daughter-in-law soaked in the blood of her lovers. Though the Bride wishes for death, the Mother decides living is a worse punishment.

While the rest of the cast did well, some of the more dramatic moments seemed crude and lacked Ochoa’s nuance. Anger came easy, but these younger actors had difficulties capturing the subtleties of shame, guilt, regret and loss that were necessary to depict the inner turmoil between the Bride and Leonardo. Though they did well in capturing the love-hate relationship with each other, their interactions with other characters were at times too blunt.

The Bridegroom’s mother lost her husband and another son to violence before the start of the play at the hands of Leonardo’s family, who still survive in jail.

Sons are doomed to repeat the mistakes of their fathers and continue a cycle of intergenerational violence that soaks the sky in blood. And the moon is pleased.

BODAS DE SANGRE— (Clockwise from top) The mother of the Bridegroom grieves the loss of her son. Bride and Bridegroom engage in a moment of false bliss on their wedding day. The Bride and her lover spend a final moment together before they are discovered. The Bridegroom battles Leonardo— the man who stole his wife— to the death.

Photos by Victoria Sanchez/Staff

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Dec. 12, 2017 — Volume 61, Issue 3

Marty Loftin, editor

ARTS

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Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: arts@theswcsun.com

By Brittany Cruz-Fejeran

ristina Belantes got tired of trying to hide her curved spine, so she stopped. In fact, she shared her unique body with the world.

Belantes’ Jiyu (“Freedom” in Japanese) is a self-portrait photo series that explores body insecurities. She was born with a slight curvature to her spine that creates an indent on her right side, caused by scoliosis.

Belantes is of Filipino descent. She is thin, short and wears gauges in her ears. There is a slight curvature to her spine that creates an indent on her right side caused by a spine abnormality called scoliosis.

Belantes is a Navy brat who moved to Japan when her father was stationed there for five years. She turned to photography out of loneliness in high school. Besides daily shoots, she was a designer for her yearbook.

Talent takes center stage and Belantes became the go-to photographer for sports and the first choice to shoot special events.

After seeing artsy nude photos on Tumblr, she decided to turn the camera on herself.

“The blogs I followed on Tumblr were just a lot of exposing the human body,” she said.

Not all of it was nude photography as erotica, she said. Some photos captured the essence of certain body parts and their shapes, which sparked inspiration in her.

“What if I can do something with my body and not only showcase the artwork I have on myself, but that your body can be your own piece of artwork regardless of your color, shape or size?” she recalled

asking herself.

Belantes un-knowingly started down a path of greater selfunderstanding.

Empowerment through revealing imperfections is at the core of Jiyu, but she said she was conflicted about displaying her body online.

“I did not want to put them up,” she said. “I had asked my friends. I showed them the pictures and I was like ‘Guys, should I put this on here? Like, is this too much?’”

This inner conflict fueled Belantes’ message. As she started doing the series she realized stretch marks are okay. She also found peace in her curved spine.

“I was always self-conscious about it, so I did not really like to go out to the beach or show my body like that because I did not like how this side of my body looked,” she said.

Jiyu played a big role in accepting herself, she said. Her shots reveal stretch marks on her knees, the tattoos on her arms, chest and breasts.

Her biggest step to coming to terms with her real self, she said, was coming out to her parents as gay. She said she was afraid of her parents’ reaction. Her mother was not always supportive of the way her daughter dressed or behaved. After her coming out, her parents gave her an unusual amount of love and care that she said she was not accustomed to.

“So you’ll still love me even though I’m not straight?” she asked her mother.

“Yes of course, we’ll always love you no matter what,” her mother responded. “As long as you’re happy, then that’s all that matters.”

Belantes said she hopes other LGBTQ students have a similar experience.

“Maybe me putting this out there will make people relieved that they’re not the only ones who have it,” she said. “It might be strange, but think of flaws as necessary traits that help make everyone unique and should not cause alteration.”

Her grandfather, a more traditional man, was not as tolerant.

“I have never liked (dressing girly),” she said. “My grandpa used to give me crap for looking like a boy or playing with the boys.”

Belantes struggled with the judgment of her grandfather, she admitted, sometimes dressing the way he wanted her to avoid criticism. Pretending to be someone else made her realize she was not being true to herself.

“Why do people care so much?” Belantes said. “Why can’t you just let them be?”

Belantes changed after moving back from Japan from a girl desperate for acceptance to a content young woman with short hair, tattoos and gauges in her ears. There was no hiding behind girly clothes to please her grandpa’s old-fashioned sensibilities.

“Just live your authentic self, because that is all you can be.”

自由 Freedom from fear

Photos courtesy of Kristina Belantes

WASHING AWAY THE STIGMA— Photographer Kristina Belantes exposes her skin and soul in her Jiyu (Freedom) series. (right) Her tattoo sleeve on her right arm proclaims “With Time, Things Will Heal” and (top) “Freedom” in Japanese characters. Belantes’ series draws attention to her own insecurities, including the peculiar curve in her spine, to shed the stigma of negative body image.

ARTS

The Southwestern College Sun

Dec. 12, 2017 — Volume 61, Issue 3

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Nothing corny about marvelous maize exhibit

By Jaeneen Chung Assistant Arts Editor

C

orn is life.

To the ancient Maya, maize was everything.

Blood of the gods and corn dough combined to create humans. Maize fed civilization.

Mexican artist Aldo Martinez presented his corn-centric exhibit “Yo Tlaolli: Corn as Body, Territory and Ideology,” in the art gallery. It was a great harvest.

Sara Solaimani, a Ph.D. candidate in Art History Theory and Criticism at UC San Diego, develop an interest in Martinez’s art when he was a student. It fueled her desire to curate his art and bring voice to the Native Mexican culture.

Although “Yo Tlaolli” was the first time Solaimani curated a solo exhibition and was Martinez’s first solo exhibition, it turned out to be a successful and illuminating presentation.

Martinez traveled to 11 cities and towns across nine Mexican states to work in the corn fields. By getting his

hands dirty, he learned how to create an intimate display that depicted the Native Modern Mexicans’ symbolic relationship with corn.

He collected what he learned to produce books and magazines to accompany his exhibits.

Of the 12 pieces displayed, “Collection of Corn” was a standout.

It was an arrangement of colorful ears of corn that showed the diversity of colors and shapes that exist. It served as a metaphor for the racial and cultural diversity of Mexico.

“The different types of corn represent the spiritual, economical and physical diversity among the regions,” Martinez said.

Maize is indigenous to Mexico, but has long since spread across the planet.

Martinez said corn is symbolic for the people who need it to survive.

He planted live corn plants across the campus. Solaimani said they were bringing the corn back home.

“It is a remnant of the Native Mexican corn back on its native territory,” she said.

Eventually, all the corn plants were brought together for the exhibition to create “The Senses of Maize.” Each corn

stalk grew out of a sculpted terracotta head, some from the top of the skull, nose, left eye, mouth and left ear. Each head featured different facial expressions and were partially buried in wooden boxes of soil to reflect the cyclical nature of life and death.

“Tortilla Field Above Us” was a provocative piece. Tortillas were hung from the ceiling on string. Over time some of these once-freshed tortillas became discolored by mold. Solaimani said decay was an important aspect of the piece.

“While working with live material, you have to deal with what comes with it,” she said. “It is a living art form.”

“And Mexico Ends Where the Milpa Dies” contained different colored corn Photos by Ailyn Dumas Leon/Staff ears, glass and ground polyester resin.

In the display, a baby corn stalk is in the CHILDREN OF THE CORN—Mexican artist Aldo Martinez explores the relationship process of growing in the palm filled between human and corn with (top) “The Sense of Maize” and (above)“Tortilla Field with soil.

Above Us,” where dangling tortillas were allowed to age over the course of the exhibition.

“Enlightening Cereal” is the other set of hand molding, created by glass producing corn and transforming it in deformation on infants so that the shape polyester resin. It carried corn husk with numerous ways. of their skulls resembled kernels of corn. light beaming in the middle.

“The Presents of our Myths” was a Yo Tlaolli was a heartwarming “Documentary Interviews” mural by local guest artist Tizoc Uribe and enlightening art exhibition that contained five interviews of farmers in which showed the Mayan God of Maize. celebrated the Native roots of Mexican different Mexican states. It captured Mayans believed their people were created culture – the corn roots. It provided the hard work, love and dedication of from corn. Some performed cranial much food for thought.

Jazz Café a little bit odd, but features strong performances

By Paola Gutierrez Assistant News Editor

Gotta say it, the Jazz Vocal Ensemble can really jam.

“Jazz and the Movies,” directed by Tracy Burklund, was a crowd pleaser that had the power to create atmosphere and pull the listeners into the music. Bumpy and pitchy at times, it was overall an enjoyable evening at a bluesy lounge minus the choking cigarette smoke.

Performers sat on stage at round tables covered with black cloths and a vase with red roses. From there the film soundtracks rolled, including numbers from disparate films like “Looney Tunes: Back In Action,” “Cowboy and Señorita,” “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “La La Land.”

Some of the choices were odd, but most were compelling.

Vasti Hinojo captured the audience with “Round Midnight,” her delightfully raspy voice lending rawness to beauty. She was well prepared and confident, a testimony to Burkland’s training.

Nicole Arguelles sang “I Put a Spell on You,” featured in the sex-soaked movie “Fifty Shades of Grey.” She resisted the sleaze of the film for a more innocent rendition carried by her powerful voice.

Sara Martinez crooned the standard “Besame Mucho,” featured in the movie “Cowboy and the Señorita.” Her performance was sensual and mellow, with a low-burn passion that was irresistible. Her choice of a Spanish language number was appreciated by the diverse audience.

Keanu Hill turned in a joyful and entertaining

take on the classic “Blue Skies.” It was a frivolous yet welcomed rendition of a song that invites comparisons. Hill stood his ground firmly.

Deborah Carreon tackled “The Man That Got Away” from “A Star Is Born.” She had rad green hair and a red-hot voice. Her song was very intimate and delightful, and, just maybe, a star was born.

Burklund took a turn at the mic with drama professor Ruff Yeager. Their performance of “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” was delightful and set high standard for the students to strive for.

MaryJo Abney sang “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” for her husband on their anniversary. Her song was very meaningful, though risked drowning in sentimentality.

Richard Amezola struggled with Elton John’s challenging “The Way You Look Tonight” from the movie “Father of the Bride.” Amezola has talent and potential, but his nerves got the better of him this time out.

Pablo Gamino channeled Sinatra on “Come Fly With Me,” featured in the movie “Looney Tunes: Back In Action.” Gamino lit up the house with his glowing personality and fearlessness. He has a theatrical voice, though he may have over-emoted a bit on this chestnut swing number.

Members of the Jazz Vocal Ensemble have amazing voices, but made a few poor song choices. Talent, attack and a badass band helped to overpower some of the head scratcher Victoria Sanchez/Staff selections, so the audience felt satisfied at evening’s end like a swingin’ night at Sardi’s.

SOUNDTRACKS OF OUR LIVES— Richard Amezola and the SWC Jazz Vocal Ensemble celebrates the songs Jazz Café had a funky menu, but the crew sure of the silver screen during its concert “Jazz and the Movies.” knew how to cook.

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Dec. 12, 2017– Volume 61, Issue 3

‘Open to me the gate of righteousness’

By Katy Stegall News Editor

Love may be eternal, but Brian Houston and Evelia Reyes had only three minutes to get married before the Border Patrol sealed the wall.

Houston stood on the United States side of la linea and Reyes was planted in Mexico when the priest said “you may now kiss the bride.” An unlikely international wedding was over with seconds to spare.

When the immigration officers swung the hulking metal doorway to a creaking close, the border was sealed again. Houston walked north and Reyes south, unsure of when they would kiss again.

Border Angels worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to open the U.S.-Mexico gate at Friendship Park for 33 minutes. It was the sixth such opening. It may be the last. Border Angels Founder Enrique Morones said he was not sure if “Opening the Door of Hope” will happen again under Trump’s administration due to tighter immigration laws and increasing tension with Mexico.

Love crossed the border as the corroded steel door separating Mexico and America opened and 11 families were able to reunite for three minutes each. Families spent 180 seconds in tear-filled embraces, not knowing when—or if— they would be able to hold their loved ones again.

Debates over the sanctity of the border wall have divided America throughout 2017. These 11 families—and many others—have been separated by the 21-foot wall for much longer than that.

Houston is not allowed to enter Mexico and Reyes is currently banned from entering the U.S. Their honeymoon will have to wait, possibly for many years. Morones said the border-straddling wedding was conducted to send a symbolic message that love has no borders.

“This wedding was held like any other, for love,” Morones said. “These three-minute reunions were very emotional, but also bittersweet. They all will tell you, though, that those three minutes were better than no minutes at all.”

Morones has worked with Border Patrol officials to sporatically re-open Friendship Park, a project of former president Richard Nixon, where Mexicans and Americans could picnic and recreate along the border. First Lady Patricia Nixon dedicated the park in 1971 when people could freely walk across the border and back. It was closed in 1994 during the antimigrant fervor of Operation Gatekeeper and

remained shut off until the first Border Angels “Love Has No Borders” event in 2013.

Nicolas Avila Herrera said he had not seen his family in 12 years. He was deported to Mexico in 2011 after spending years in prison for gang affiliations. Herrera’s son was 12 the last time they saw each other in person. He is 24 now. He said phone and video calls will never compare to holding his loved ones and meeting his grandson in person for the first time.

“I cannot describe with words what I am feeling right now,” Herrera said. “My heart is happy. I am waiting for that door to be open to tell my son how much I love him. The first thing I am going to say to him is I am sorry for not being with him during his childhood.

I want to ask for his forgiveness for not being with him when he needed me the most. I just want to tell him how much I love him and I miss him.”

Carmen Gil-Sanchez, 49, a Tijuana resident, is also a parent whose heart was ripped in two by the border. The other half lives in Riverside, her beloved son Sergio Nino-Gil, 29.

Gil-Sanchez had not seen him since she was deported 12 years ago.

“My joy is so big,” Gil-Sanchez said. “It doesn’t fit my heart.”

Gil-Sanchez brought Sergio to America in 1991 when he was three years old. She was deported when he was a teenager, but Sergio was able to stay under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The Obama-era program protected him from deportation, though Trump’s rescition of DACA in October has put him at risk of deportation. Nino-Gil said it was devastating to watch his future ripped from his hands when he had never committed a crime.

He is waiting for Congress to act. On this day, though, he will relish in the happiness of his children meeting their grandmother for the first time.

“Words are not enough to describe what I felt when I saw my mom and I was able to hug her,” Nino-Gil said. “There were so many emotions.”

Hugo Castro, Border Angels’ Baja-California Coordinator, said opening the Door of Hope is a way to combat the cruel immigration policies of Trump. Castro compared Trump to Adolf Hitler and said he fears America is slipping back into a fascist and totalitarian era.

“We want to reach the hearts and compassion of government officials so they can create fair immigration policies,” he said. “I believe the only way to change is to waking up a collective conscience and not be intimidated by the fear and hate that Trump is promoting.”

For 33 fleeting minutes fear and hate were pushed to the side by love and hope.

Design by Marty Loftin Tel: (619) 482-6368 email: arts@theswcsun.com

Alexander Contreras/Staff

MAGICAL MINUTES: Border Patrol agents crack open the border wall for 33 minutes to allow 11 families three-minute visits with relatives trapped on the other side of the border. (clockwise from top) Bride Evelia Reyes and her daughter Alexis are thrilled to see groom Brian Houston as the border gate slides open. Houston and Reyes married moments later, each standing on the other side of the U.S.-Mexico border. A grandmother meets her grandchildren. A father briefly unites with his wife and child. Families have short, but joyous reunions.

Natalie Mosqueda/Staff

Victoria Sanchez/Staff

Thomas Contant/Staff